Attorney bows out of East St. Louis wrongful burial suit

The attorney for a woman who claims the East St. Louis police department misidentified her murdered son and released his body to the wrong family has withdrawn from the case.

Plaintiff Kathleen Beecher-Miller was not present at the Aug. 26 hearing when St. Clair County Circuit Judge Michael O'Malley allowed attorney Gary Mack to bow out of the case.

In his order, O'Malley grants Beecher-Miller 21 days to find a new attorney. She is also ordered to file proof of her address with the St. Clair Circuit Clerk's Office.

The case is set for a status conference Sept. 30 at 10 a.m.

Beecher-Miller is suing the city of East St. Louis and Detective Michael Floore for allegedly failing to follow the proper procedure to identify her son's remains.

According to her complaint, her son, Kenny Thomas Stainbeck, was murdered. His body was misidentified, it was released to the wrong family and buried under the wrong name.

The mistake was subsequently discovered and Stainbeck had to be exhumed and reburied.

Beecher-Miller claims she suffered severe emotional distress, mental anguish, incurred medical costs and missed days at work due to the mistake.

She seeks a judgment of damages in excess of $100,000 and costs.

The defendants have moved to dismiss the suit.

The defendants are represented by Untress Quinn of Belleville.

The case is St. Clair case number 09-L-81.