Judge rules Alcor must prove Ted Williams wanted his head frozen
Peter Corbett
The Arizona Republic
Sept. 2, 2004 07:56 PM
A Maricopa County Superior Court judge ruled Friday that a Scottsdale cryonics facility must show a document to the nephews of Ted Williams that could prove the baseball great wanted to be cryogenically preserved.
Judge Thomas Dunevant III ordered the Alcor Life Extension Foundation Inc. to present a document of gift to Ted and Sam Williams, nephews of the Boston Red Sox slugger who died two years ago.
The nephews are among family and friends of Williams who have waged a legal battle to have his remains cremated, a request that was in his will.
"We plan to produce the document," Alcor CEO Joe Waynick said. "We have all the documents required by the statute."
John Heer, a Cleveland attorney who represents Ted and Sam Williams, said the nephews will halt their legal challenge if Alcor can produce a proper document that proves that the late Ted Williams wanted to be frozen at the cryonics warehouse.
"I'm a bit skeptical about that," Heer said. "From all we've learned through this whole ordeal, it is my guess that they don't have (a document of gift)."
Under the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, a hospital or entity that accepts donated body parts must have a signed document of gift that shows the deceased person or their family authorized the donation.
Larry Johnson, a former Alcor manager who copied files relating to Williams before leaving the company in August 2003, has said that Alcor did not have proper authorization to freeze Williams' remains.
The baseball great is among 64 patients frozen at Alcor in liquid nitrogen. They are betting that advances in science will allow them to live again.
Williams' son, John Henry, who died in March at age 35, is believed to be among Alcor's patients.
Alcor will produce the Ted Williams document within two weeks unless its attorneys decide to appeal the judge's decision, Waynick said.
Judge Dunevant rejected a motion by Alcor that the nephews did not have legal standing to see the document of gift.
Alcor has also filed motions to seal records in the case, a move that has been opposed by attorneys for The Arizona Republic.
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