Resident files lawsuit against proposed body farm

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

DANDRIDGE, Tenn. - A Jefferson County resident has filed a lawsuit against the county board of zoning appeals over its decision to approve the location of a proposed cadaver research facility that would be operated by Carson-Newman College.

Doris Ligon filed the lawsuit in Chancery Court on Wednesday, which seeks to nullify a Dec. 18 vote by the board to approve the body farm that would be adjacent to her property.

Ligon said in a press release that the board exceeded its authority in approving the research facility.

Officials with Carson-Newman say the site would not be toxic and the purpose is to study the effects of corpse decomposition on soil, air and water near it. The most famous cadaver research center is the University of Tennessee body farm in nearby Knoxville.