September
24, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

South Burlington, VT. - In an attempt to stifle legitimate criticism from consumer advocates,  Michigan funeral director and author Thomas Lynch sued the oldest and largest national nonprofit funeral consumer advocacy organization in federal court September 12. Lynch's suit, filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, accuses Funeral Consumers Alliance, Inc., of "defamation," and causing "substantial economic injury" and "harm to [the] business reputation" of Lynch's funeral home businesses in Michigan. The document in question is a PowerPoint presentation titled "Deconstructing Thomas Lynch," available at www.funerals.org. The presentation quotes an article by Lynch and criticizes the article's presentation and viewpoint.

"To call this lawsuit ‘frivolous' would be too kind  -  it's outrageous," said FCA Executive Director Joshua Slocum. "Mr. Lynch appears unaware of the constitutional and common law rights citizens and journalists enjoy in this country. We don't expect him to enjoy FCA's critique, but his irritation does not cancel the rights of consumer advocates to publish fair comment on and criticism of his writings. Even worse, his attempt to extract money from a nonprofit charity  is reprehensible." CLICK "READ MORE" FOR THE REST OF THE STORY. . .