Custody battle over leg postponed

Monday, Oct. 1, 2007

By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer

A custody battle over a South Carolina man’s amputated leg was postponed Monday while the man tried to find a ride to Maiden, where the limb is being stored.

John Wood and Shannon Whisnant are trying to come to an agreement about the leg, which Whisnant found last week in a used barbecue smoker he bought at an auction in Maiden.

Wood stored his leg, which doctors cut off after a plane crash three years ago, in a smoker he kept at a Maiden storage facility. But when he fell behind in payments, the facility owner auctioned off the smoker.

Whisnant bought it last week. When he looked inside, he found the leg – a foot, ankle and most of the calf – wrapped in a wire screen.

Now, each man claims the leg belongs to him. Whisnant said he has a receipt showing he bought the smoker and its contents. Wood was born with the leg, but it was amputated after a plane crash three years ago.

"I told him I’d share custody of it," Whisnant said. "Kind of like young ‘uns."

They had planned to met Monday to talk about ownership, but Wood was not able to find a ride from Greenville, S.C., to Maiden, Whisnant said. He said they are planning to meet later this week.

Whisnant said he would take legal action if the leg is not returned to him by next week.

"Everybody know it’s mine, period," Whisnant said. "And if anyone tries to take it, I want everything they got."

Police gave the leg to a Maiden funeral home to store until Wood could pick it up.


All content © THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER and may not be republished without permission.