Politics on the Hudson

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo announced a settlement this morning with Atlanta-based Premier Exhibitions Inc. in response to accusations that its “BODIES” exhibits use corpses of Chinese prisoners.

Based on the agreement, Premier now has to obtain documentation that bodies have been obtained legitimately and with consent of the people who died. The company has to set aside money to return money to people who attended the New York City exhibition at South Street Seaport if they request can establish they would not have attended the exhibition had they known the bodies were of questionable origins.

The issue gained recognition in February, when the ABC show 20/20 reported there was an alleged black market for bodies in China, and they included executed political prisoners. Corpses have been sent to the United States for use in exhibitions.

“The grim reality is that Premier Exhibitions has profited from displaying the remains of individuals who may have been tortured and executed in China,” Cuomo said in a statement. “Despite repeated denials, we now know that Premier itself cannot demonstrate the circumstances that led to the death of the individuals. Nor is Premier able to establish that these people consented to their remains being used in this manner.”

“Respect for the dead and respect for the public requires that Premier do more than simply assure us that there is no reason for concern. The settlement is a start,” Cuomo said.