Marine's brain taken to examiner's house for family show and tell

We just assume the fallen servicemen and women are shown the utmost respect when they gave their lives for the sake of others. One of the biggest reasons we are shocked by a story like this is when we discover some people put in charge of taking care of them do not hold the same level of respect for them. He didn't think about the family of this Marine when he decided to let his own family have some fun with part of someone they loved.

Records: Navy Doc Let Family Handle Marine's Brain
PORTSMOUTH, Va.
July 14, 2012
(AP)

A Navy medical examiner took a Marine's brain out of a specimen jar and let his children handle the organ, records show.

Dr. Mark E. Shelly has been fined $2,500 by the Virginia Board of Medicine and fired from his part-time job with the state medical examiner's office. A spokeswoman said the Navy was also taking disciplinary action but has not yet decided what to do.

Shelley was taking the brain from a naval hospital in Camp Lejeune, N.C., to Portsmouth Naval Medical Center in Virginia when he stopped at his home in Virginia Beach. He let his children handle the brain and his wife took pictures.

In an April 3 letter to the Board of Medicine, Shelly acknowledged he used "extremely poor judgment," The Virginian-Pilot (http://bit.ly/OBInOr) reported Friday. He said he realized the impact his actions had on the family of the deceased and wrote that it was not his intention to be disrespectful to the Marine sergeant or his family.
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