Yes, we’re a bit confused as well to be quite honest.
We can’t imagine that it’s very pleasant to be legally classed as dead when you’re very much alive and well but that’s the burden that one Ohio man is set to have to bear until the time when he, you know, dies dies and there is absolutely no chance of him coming back (unless it’s from beyond the grave, of course, ooooooooo).
According to BBC News, Ohio man Don Miller appeared in court this week and was told that, having been declared dead in 1994, the judge wasn’t permitted to declare him alive again because death rulings cannot be overturned after three years. This despite the fact that 61-year old Miller was sitting in front of him, although we wouldn’t be surprised if he looked like death after hearing what the judge had to say.
Miller fled his wife and kids in 1986 and was declared dead in 1994, but appeared once again in 2005 when he applied for a driving license. His wife Robin had been receiving Social Security death benefits to support her and her two children, which she does not have to give back to the government because as far as they’re concerned, Mr. Miller is still dead.
Trying to explain what he called a “strange, strange situation”, Judge Allan Davis, who was prevented by state law from declaring Mr Miller legally alive said: “We’ve got the obvious here. A man sitting in the courtroom, he appears to be in good health. I don’t know where that leaves you, but you’re still deceased as far as the law is concerned.”
Explaining his disappearance for the best part of 20 years, Miller told local media: “It kind of went further than I ever expected it to. I just kind of took off, ended up in different places.”
Well, that explanation is certainly sufficient as far as we’re concerned and how it didn’t stand up in court is beyond us. Miller has 30 days to appeal the decision and could yet take it to federal court; it all depends on whether he’s dead serious about the whole thing we suppose.
If Hollywood is ever making another sequel to Weekend at Bernie’s, they won’t have far to look for the main man.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
