X-Message-Number: 896 From: Subject: News Release Date: Thu, 11 Jun 92 20:40:29 PDT *****For Immediate Release***** **Alcor Wins Appeal** Riverside, CA (June 11th, 1992) -- The California Court of Appeal yesterday handed down an important decision in favor of the Alcor Foundation of Riverside, California. Alcor, a non-profit research institute which places the remains of its legally deceased members into "cryonic suspension" (freezing), has been embroiled in litigation with the California State Health Department. The controversy began in 1988, when the Registrar's Office of the Health Department began refusing to issue death certificates or disposition permits for persons cryonically suspended. The Registrar is responsible for keeping vital statistics for the State. Health Department officials at the time said that cryonics was illegal in California because it was not permitted by any specific legislation. Alcor sued, and won a sweeping victory in Los Angeles Superior Court where Judge Aurelio Munoz decided that its activities were constitutionally protected. Munoz further ruled that Alcor was legitimately using the Anatomical Gift Act as authority for storing human bodies, and that the State had acted "capriciously". The Health Department's appeal of the Munoz decision was unanimously rebuffed in the Appellate Court's eleven page ruling. The justices chided the Health Department and the State Attorney General for their handling of the case, while upholding Munoz. Alcor is the largest provider of cryonics services in the world. While the medical establishment has not yet accepted cryonics, recent advances in molecular biology and engineering have persuaded a growing number of scientists that it can work. These scientists foresee medical devices small enough to repair damaged cells within cryonics patients. Growing awareness of this rapidly evolving technology has caused a surge of interest in cryonics over the last few years. Alcor has been represented in its case against the Health Department by the Century City law firm of Garfield, Tepper, Ashworth and Epstein. For further information contact: Carlos Mondragon (714) 736-1703 Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=896