LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — A state licensing board has offered a deal to the owner of a funeral home who is accused of letting multiple bodies decay and whose business was shut down in June.
The Maine Board of Funeral Service voted unanimously Tuesday to offer Ken Kincer a deal that would avoid a public hearing and instead allow him to seek to a new license in 10 years if he can show he has avoid drugs and alcohol for three years and rehabilitated himself.
The Lewiston Sun-Journal reported Kincer does not have to accept the deal and could fight to keep his license, which would require a public hearing. The board does not have the authority to bring criminal charges against Kincer. It suspended his license in July.
Investigators found that Kincer stored 11 bodies without refrigeration in the basement of his Lewiston company, Affordable Cremation Solutions, between April and May.
Several board members raised objections to an initial suggested deal that would have allowed Kincer to seek a new license after five years.
John Brennan, a board member, said he was concerned people would wonder what a funeral director would need to do in order to permanently lose a license.
“This man’s just made too many mistakes,” Brennan said.
He and other board members who were reluctant signed onto the deal when the proposed time was lengthened to 10 years, the newspaper reported.
Kincer has previously issued a statement through his attorney apologizing to the families of the people whose bodies were in his care, saying he was dealing with depression and alcoholism. Several families have sued Kincer for violating his contract with them and causing emotional distress.
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