Harvard University can now face lawsuits from families who donated relatives’ bodies to its medical school after a former morgue manager sold body parts on the black market, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled Monday.

Court Ruling

The court overturned a lower court decision that had previously shielded Harvard from legal action. It also held Mark F. Cicchetti, managing director of Harvard Medical School’s Anatomical Gift Program, legally liable.

Chief Justice Scott L. Kafker described the case as a “macabre scheme spanning several years,” involving Cedric Lodge, the former morgue manager, who stole and sold organs intended for research.

Families File Lawsuits

Harvard faces 12 lawsuits from 47 families whose loved ones’ remains were mishandled between 2018 and 2023. The lawsuits claim negligence in morgue security and disregard for professional guidelines.

Kafker noted Harvard “had a legal obligation to provide for the dignified treatment and disposal of the donated human remains, and failed miserably in this regard.”

The Black Market Scheme

Lodge transported stolen body parts across state lines. Court records show some body parts were sold for hundreds of dollars, including transactions labeled “head number 7” and “braiiiiiins.”

Legal Consequences

Lodge pleaded guilty in May 2025 to interstate transport of stolen human remains and faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Harvard fired Lodge in 2023, calling his actions “morally reprehensible.”

The lawsuits against Harvard and Cicchetti will now proceed, allowing families to seek civil claims for negligence and mishandling of donated remains.