Family feud over final disposition of Councilman Eric Mays’ remains
By Rayvin Bleu and Hannah Mose
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FLINT, Michigan (WNEM) — A family feud has started over who will have a say over the remains of late Flint City Councilman Eric Mays.
Eric Mays died on Saturday, Feb. 24, and his son, Eric Deontaye Mays, said he is the only relative entitled to determine the final disposition of his father’s remains.
“He wouldn’t want it to go down the way it’s going down like this. I try. I try. It’s not me that’s the reason that this is happening,” said Eric Deontaye Mays.
He said he is heartbroken that he is unable to give his father the celebration of life he believes he would have wanted because he is now in a legal battle with his aunts and uncles over the handling of the late councilman’s remains.
Eric Deontaye Mays accuses them of committing fraud when they authorized the release of councilman’s body to the Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home.
“The body was taken into custody the Genesee County Medical Examiner’s office and subsequent to that, another sibling represented that he had the authority to authorize the body be released to Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home. Now as Mr. Mays’ only adult son, my client — Eric Deontay Mays — is the only person under Michigan law with legal authority to make those decisions regarding disposition of his father’s remains,” said attorney Joseph Cannizzo Jr. with Lento Law Group.
Eric Deontaye Mays filed a lawsuit with the Genesee County 7th Judicial Court, and on Monday, the judge issued a restraining order preventing the funeral home from doing anything with the body.
Eric Mays’ funeral is currently on hold until the final hearing on Thursday.
Eric Deontaye Mays’ attorneys said the funeral home has refused multiple requests to release Councilman Mays’ body to the funeral home of his client’s choosing.
“They’ve refused, which is in and of itself a violation of Michigan law. And that is also despite the fact that they’ve been provided with executed authorizations compelling them to release it. They’ve refused. So, our client has gone ahead and filed a mortuary science complaint against Moon,” Cannizzo said.
The attorney said Councilman Mays’ lack of a will is adding to the dispute between his son and the rest of the family.
“Unfortunately, when someone passes, family members tend to come out of the woodwork sometimes because they see dollar signs in their eyes. And that is what we think is the case here,” Cannizzo said. “We already have reason to believe that the family has profited to a pretty great extent as a result of Eric’s passing.”
TV5 reached out to Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, but they declined to comment. We also reached out to the family, and they also refused to comment.
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