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Rapper T.I. might be incarcerated, but he is in the mix of an eerie situation. In a February 2009 episode of his now defunct MTV show 'T.I.'s Road to Redemption,' viewers were taken to a funeral home that showed a young man's corpse.
Now the family members of the deceased are up-in-arms and have filed a lawsuit against T.I. and MTV for being profiteers at their relative's expense.
In an episode titled "You Are Responsible for Your Own Actions," T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris, Jr., visited the Haugabrooks Funeral Home in downtown Atlanta.
The show's purpose was to educate at-risk young people about leading crime-free lives. When T.I. visited the funeral parlor, he showed audiences the corpse of Joseph Williams (pictured below in the coffin). Although the cadaver's face is blurred, a mortician is overheard saying that Williams was a "hustler" whose parents were unaware of his true cause of death.
The deceased man's father, Joseph Williams Sr., and other relatives were disturbed by the airing of the MTV segment and claim to have suffered emotionally after its viewing. Williams and other family members filed their lawsuit last Wednesday at the Fulton County State Court.
The lawsuit contends that the funeral home made a false statement, claiming Williams and his family did not know their relative's cause of death. The lawsuit also makes mention of the fact that T.I. -- who is currently serving time at a federal prison in Arkansas for violating probation stemming from weapons charges -- the funeral home, MTV and the others involved in the planning of the segment "carelessly mishandled" the body "for financial gain and publicity."
The Williams family seeks unspecified damages for mental pain and suffering and emotional distress.
Comments: (16)
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By: Toni on 2/15/2011 1:28PM
I work for a funeral home, and that funeral home is @ fault more that anyone else because thats something you never do is broadcast the body like that...and i saw that episode the body they had in the back in the corner of their preparation room wasnt blured out at all nor was it covered. now i know the point T.I. was tring to make but that funeral home should have been more smart on the whole situation. The FUNERAL HOME was very UNPROFESSIONAL on so many levels.
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By: Justifyed on 2/16/2011 8:33AM
@ Toni, that's what I thought when I read the article...shouldn't the funeral home be @ fault? I mean even cops have to ask permisson to enter a person's house if they don't have a search warrant.
So it would seem that the funeral home should NOT have allowed this to happen without the permission of the family.
Mortuary services is a lucrative business, maybe suspended the operating license of this particular funeral home for a period of time, will make them think twice before allowing something like this to happen again.
I think the family has every right to sue the funeral home, as well as T.I
Road to redemption? I think not...since he ended up back in jail anyway.
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By: Pechus on 2/16/2011 4:40PM
It appears to me that the family members of the deceased is just as unethically corrupt as the corpse in life was. Clearly the Funeral Home is at fault, and yet, they go after T.I. because all they see is dollar signs $$.
M-o-n-e-y is clearly the motivation behind this lawsuit. The only emotional distress these people will feel is when the Judge tells them their "scheming" has failed.
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By: Michael on 2/15/2011 4:23PM
This is just morally wrong and these dummies set themselves up for a big loss of $$$.
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By: D.C. on 2/15/2011 9:17PM
In my opinion, TI should be sued for all he is worth. He does not deserve it. He is reckless and belligerent. If he respected himself more, his kids more, his ability to influence these stupid little kids that idolize him, he would walk much differently. It's a shame and I disgrace. I'm just saying... Be Continuously Blessed.
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By: smile on 2/16/2011 9:56AM
This is just another case of a black family trying to take from another black family. Black folks have that crab effect. First off, the man is dead and his soul is gone. If he was living a drug, hustler life then use that opportunity to educate someone else's child that's on the street that could end up like their child. We as blacks are too self centered. Instead of trying to get rich off of T.I join him. That is the problem we as a society spend to much time trying to get rich instead of educating our youth. Money isn't going to bring this boy back to life. But I guess it will buy them that big screen huh... Sad.
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By: contreegrl on 2/16/2011 10:36AM
I AGREE, IF SHOWING A DECEASED MEMEBER OF MY FAMILY WILL KEEP SOMEONE FROM A LIFE OF CRIME ON THE STREETS I'DSAY LET'S DO IT EVERY CHANCE WE GET.THE CRIME RATE FOR OUR BLACK YOUTH IS OUT OF HAND AND WE NEED EVERY OPPURTUNITY AND METHOD TO CHANGE THAT.BUT I'M SORRY THAT THE FAMILY WAS HURT BY THIS.BUT MONEY IS NOT GOING TO SOLVE ANYTHING.BUT WE HAVE GOT TO TRY SOMETHING!
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By: j bethea on 2/16/2011 2:51PM
did he bother to get the permission of the family first ? no he didn't its just like Obama he is screwing black people and the poor left and right still black people defend him tooth and nail he can't do no wrong
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By: Kandy Gurl on 2/24/2011 1:44PM
Smile I agree with you and Pechus 110%....Our people will never get anywhere we're always trying to screw over one another, TI was merely trying to scare the kid straight....
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By: Tyrique on 2/16/2011 11:33AM
this family simply wants money..smdh. don't give it to them, T.I., have your lawyers fight this to the end, and put the heat on the funeral home, they need to sue the funeral home...DUH, and not u. they're going after u because they know u have money...smdh at this family.
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