The cadaver-selling scandal at UCLA pulled back the curtain to shine a light for the public on a shadowy industry that profits from death.

But what it hasn't done -- and might never do, according to university officials -- is to make clear exactly what happened in the trafficking of cadavers willed to the University of California, Los Angeles.

The university would like to portray itself as as much a victim as the bewildered and upset people who donated their loved ones' bodies in the misguided belief they were benefiting science. After all, it was Henry G. Reid, head of the willed body program, who allegedly profited from opening the morgue doors.

But UCLA officials hired Reid apparently without thoroughly checking his background. And it was UCLA officials who failed to closely monitor the program despite long-standing problems in it.

UCLA owes it to the public and the hundreds of victims in this case to quit pointing fingers and come clean about the breakdown in management and supervision that occurred.