Without judging any of the facts of his case or one here, there was some comfort in reading that Attorney General Jim Hood has obtained five grand jury indictments of former Jackson funeral director Mark Seepe.

Hood said he plans to prove Seepe took funeral payment-in-advance money from people and “knowingly and willfully misapplied or converted the pre-need funds to his own personal use.” State law requires that when citizens make such arrangements, the person receiving the money hold it in trust until services are provided.

Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann says his investigation into Seepe, started concurrent with accusations that Seepe mishandled human remains at his crematory, revealed no records showing where the money went. The crematory investigation cost Seepe his personal and business licenses, revoked by the state Board of Funeral Service. The indictments could send him to prison.

Good. When any person deprives another of money by force, stealth or trickery, Parchman is an appropriate destination.

Hosemann is also pressing action in Warren County Chancery Court against the owners of Green Acres Memorial Park in Vicksburg. Here, Hosemann said, an investigation revealed at least $373,000 missing from the pre-need trust fund into which clients had pre-paid for burial services, vaults and markers.

To date, no one has appeared in court or answered press inquiries on behalf of Mike Graham and Associates of Houston, identified as Green Acres’ owner. Mr. Graham is reported to have died, leaving the company to his heirs, who may well have trusted managers to carry on their business interests. None of that has been established. It is an absolute unknown whether cemetery goods and services bought and paid for in advance will be provided.

So far, the Green Acres case is a civil matter. So far, Hood is in the wings. But if it appears criminal charges are appropriate, we encourage him to prosecute. Theft is theft. The manner changes, not the effect.