Families rally against judge's ruling over troubled Bridgeport cemetery

Families in Bridgeport rallied Wednesday against a judge’s orders to appoint a board to oversee a troubled cemetery.

News 12 Staff

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Jun 12, 2019, 4:45 PM

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Updated 2,019 days ago

Families in Bridgeport rallied Wednesday against a judge's orders to appoint a board to oversee a troubled cemetery.

The families tell News 12 they object to an effort by probate Judge Paul Ganim to appoint his own board to oversee the Park Cemetery on Lindley Street, saying it should be supervised by the families who have a vested interest in it.

"We are going to put outsiders to come and govern over us? That makes no sense, this is a bad look for the city of Bridgeport," says Tony Barr.

The former director of the cemetery was arrested for allegedly engaging in fraudulent activity involving the double stacking and selling of funeral plots.

Attorney Cheryl Jansen filed the initial lawsuit alleging severe mismanagement, and she eventually won the right to run the cemetery. Now she is fighting to retain that right.

Judge Ganim tells News 12 there is a statutory formula in place that dictates how to reconstitute a defunct board and he has followed it to the letter of the law.

The hearing is scheduled for June 26.