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Archeologist: Contractor Mishandled Human Remains Found At Museum Site

LOS ANGELES (AP) — An archeologist says the contractor building a garden for a downtown Los Angeles museum on county-owned land mishandled human remains found at the site.

Biola University professor Paul E. Langenwalter made his remarks at a meeting of the state Native American Heritage Commission Monday.

He says his students were helping Whittier-based Sanberg Group with the excavations after the bones were found in November.

But after he saw remains being haphazardly removed and witnessed heavy machines used for delicate excavation work, he sought to dissociate his school from the project.

American Indian tribe members believe the 118 sets of bones unearthed at the LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes Mexican-American museum belong to their forebears.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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