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CNN Live Saturday
Judge Considers Ray Brent Marsh's Bond Request
Aired February 23, 2002 - 13:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: A crematory operator in Georgia remains in jail this afternoon, while a judge considers his bond request. Ray Brent Marsh is accused of dumping hundreds of bodies on the grounds of his business, instead of cremating them. So far, authorities have found 293 bodies. CNN's Art Harris takes a closer look at how families there are coping.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ART HARRIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Norma Hutton asked to be cremated. When she died in December, her daughter Lisa brought home the ashes and put them beside Norma's husband. What did you tell your kids?
LISA CASH, DAUGHTER: I told them that was their grandma and grandpa. Then when this took place, my kids couldn't understand if grandma was right there on the table, how could she be down there too.
HARRIS: Down there was Tri-State Crematory. Her body was among the first to be found. Rusty Cash got the call.
RUSTY CASH: He said that it was on the property in a barn. They found her in a shed.
HARRIS: Embalmed, her body was easy to identify.
L. CASH: She was in blue PJ's. Her hair was fixed the same way, everything. She looked just like she looked the day, the last time I thought I saw her.
HARRIS: So what was in the urn on the table at home?
R. CASH: They said that it was kerosene mat with a little bit of (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in it.
HARRIS: Her case is one of the first 16 counts of fraud filed against the man in charge of cremating her. Brent Marsh, hustled into court under heavy guard, in handcuffs, and a bulletproof vest. His lawyer argued Marsh is charged only with Theft, not Murder.
KEN POSTON, DEFENSE LAWYER: Nobody got killed up at that Tri- State Crematory.
HARRIS: The defense asked that Marsh be let out on bond. The magistrate delayed a ruling and sent Marsh back to jail. With the body count close to 300, the sheriff said he was concerned for Marsh's safety if released.
R. CASH: We're never going to forget. We want the maximum that we can get with this man behind bars, and that won't be enough.
HARRIS: This time, Rusty Cash went to the funeral home to see for himself that his mother-in-law was finally cremated, his wife, Lisa, coming to terms with sorrow a second time around. And your plans now for her? Where will you put her? What will you do with her?
L. CASH: I will put her back in the front room on the end table where she was, and explain to my kids that this is granny for real.
HARRIS (on camera): As more bodies are found in these woods, more charges are expected to be filed against Marsh. The prosecution wants to keep him in jail until trial, and like the families, for a long time after that.
Art Harris, CNN, Walker County, Georgia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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