Thread: Funeral Home Rejects Body: Fear Gang Retaliation

Funeral Homes Reject John Mendoza's Body for Fear of Gang Retaliation, Was that Wrong?
Friday, April 18, 2008

I never thought a funeral home could reject someone's body, but anything is possible. It is a shame that gangs have held so many neighborhoods under siege that people are being affected in so many ways. The family of Chicago youth John Mendoza, who was bludgeoned to death earlier this week said that two Chicago funeral homes told the parents that they could not help and a third offered only an abbreviated service. Why? All because Mendoza had been beaten to death and the funeral homes feared gang retaliation, according to his parents Ofelia and Jose Anthony Mendoza. The youth's family has insisted that he is not in a gang and had, in fact, changed schools to avoid being sucked into such a life.



Of course, there are two sides to every story. According to Chicago Sun-Times, the representatives of the three Chicago funeral homes either wouldn't discuss how they handled the Mendozas' funeral request or disagree with what the family says happened. Richard Modelski, owner of Modell Funeral Homes, denied that the Mendozas were refused service. He said that any time someone dies violently, the funeral home takes precautions, including requiring a $2,000 fee to pay for extra security. Wakes are often scheduled in the morning because "most gang violence occurs in the evening under cover of darkness," Modelski said. "Unfortunately, that's the society we live in.""Most families aren't going to be honest with you," Modelski said. "Most families don't know what their children do."At Wolniak Funeral Home on the South Side, the Mendozas were offered an abbreviated morning wake, but media reports said that the family said that would not work because they are expecting relatives coming in at different times from out of state.


So, if a funeral home has security concerns, how about calling the police department in advance for assistance? Actually the cops provide traffic assistance at most big churches, so I can't see what the big deal is with doing the same for this wake. I wonder, if this had occurred in an affluent area, would there have ever been any hesitation and would the funeral home have charged an extra fee for security? This smacks of a double standard and it is just plain wrong. What was equally shameful was that the family found a funeral home after four tries and success came after Jose Mendoza contacted a friend in the funeral business.


I am a little hesitant to call this outright racism, but it is certainly bordering on that. The sad reality is that people are treated differently according to where they live and how much money they have. It is even more imperative for us to eradicate our neighborhoods of the scourge of gangs. Again, let me reiterate, I don't know what the circumstances surrounding this young's man untimely death are, but I do know that the inner city communities across the United States have a real problem with gangs and it needs to. Too many innocent people are losing their lives. Not a day goes by when someone in Chicago's inner city areas isn't killed and more often, the victims are young black men. This is the first Latino I have written about being killed in the area, but nonetheless, it is one life too many that was taken. I think that it was horrible for these funeral homes to do what they did to these people. Had this been a rich or famous family, they would have been only too happy to oblige. Just my thoughts, you be the judge....

http://www.suntimes.com/news/blogentrie ... STgLeVwBLu

It is sad a person can't be burried in peace. I do know in my town....many are quietly sent back to Mexico to thier HOME and we don't get the backlash yet of gang violence. Wait till they start charging families of VETS because they have to protect the families from the Anti-war people.

I don't care who it is....I'm one that says leave buriels alone. Let these people lay their family to rest. In peace. Is nothing sacred?


I just have to say....if your family is here illegally.....it's on your dime...not mine....take donations.....why? Because My legal citizen family can't use tax dollars or be picky when it's on the tax payers dime.

I don't know in this case if they had an isssue. We have to bury you....we don't HAVE to give you a formal funeral. Wake, visitation and all.


You have the right to get married.....you aren't owed a wedding.

Just a personal feeling on this story.....I think they wanted a traditional Mexican funeral....thinking they are owed it.....not getting you PAY for that fanfare here.....I can't list the fee's I had to pay for my parents to be burried.....and that was without problems...or fanfare.

This is truly sad. There was an incident at a DC funeral home where the miscreants actually entered the funeral home and riddled the deceased and the casket with bullets. Some people simply have no respect.

Oh, now this is where the Church should step up. All funeral services were traditionally held at home or in a church. I think the family should be helped by the church. I know, a dead person is not going to be making any monetary contributions to the church or anything but aren't they charitable, merciful and helpful to all mankind?

Or is this a case of picking and choosing what benefits them the most?

Dixie

I agree this is tragic and its becoming more and more frequent. A few months ago a gang member was killed in Munster, IN. Munster citizens tend to be snobby and somehow believe they don't have a gang problem despite being so close to the Illinois border. That being said, they were angry because the funeral home agreed to perform the funeral services. The residents feared gang retaliation and the nearby grammar school was closed for the day.

Gang violence in the illegal alien haven known as Chicago is going to get worse as the weather heats up. I'm sure these stories will begin to be more common as time goes on.

Here is an article related to the topic.

Shooting victim's funeral in Evanston erupts into a brawl
4 face such charges as mob action, aggravated assault
By Brian Cox | Special to the Tribune
March 19, 2008

A shooting victim's funeral in Evanston degenerated into a brawl Saturday, and four people faced such charges as mob action, aggravated assault and other offenses, police said Tuesday.

The melee started during a funeral luncheon at the Family Focus Community Center at 2010 Dewey Ave. for Javor Brooks, 31, of the 2600 block of West Greenleaf Avenue in Chicago, police said.

Eight to 10 people were involved in the fight, and others were pushing and shoving, Police Cmdr. Tom Guenther said.

"It's unclear exactly what started it," he said. "It was a little volatile for a while there."

Evanston police were monitoring the luncheon and tried to restore order when the fighting began, but officers from Northwestern University and Skokie were called to help quell the brawl, police said.

Elmo Hatfield, 39, of the 7600 block of North Sheridan Road in Chicago was charged with mob action and marijuana possession. Sheldon Morales, 26, of the 9100 block of Bennett Avenue in Skokie was charged with mob action and obstructing a police officer. Dale Rafael Miguel Richardson, 28, of the 1700 block of Dodge Avenue in Evanston was charged with aggravated assault. Zipporah Saphire Morales, 24, of the 7000 block of South Wood Avenue in Chicago was charged with disobedience to police, mob action and obstructing police.

Brooks was shot Feb. 19 in Evanston and died of his wounds March 9 at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston. Police said they are investigating the killing and have not made any arrests.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/loca ... 4776.story