I fail to see how ZU is any way cleared of complicity in the resurrection of Persus.
Let's assume that Persus has an ability that lets him cheat death in lynch form. The closest analogue in a Meph game is the scientist's Body Double. Let's look at that in action:
The tally is done and it is clear that Leafsnail has failed to convince you that he is not a doppelganger. You drag him off to the hold where the last execution was done and Mysteriousbluepuppet picks up the rifle.
Leafsnail simply looks at all of you with a disgusted expression on his face. The blast from the rifle busts his head open, revealing complicated electronics in a fleshy shell.
"Seriously, another Body Double?!" Bursts out Jim. Where the hell do you people find the time to make these things? Let alone the materials?"
Since no one has a serious answer for that, you disperse and head off. It's going to be a busy night.
[/i]
Comparing this to the Persus lynch, there are two major differences:
1) Leafsnail here did not roleflip. Persus did.
2) Leafsnail was alive at night. Persus was not.
Meph is pretty consistent in his moderation style, even across gametypes; just look at the Fortune Teller and the Telepath for a strong example. I don't believe that he'd have the same ability on two different roles with such vastly different mechanics.
No, I don't think Persus had a "second life." I think someone brought him back to life, and there's only one possible person that could be.
Zombie Urist. It's pretty clear he just wanted to ensure he himself wasn't lynched and survive to the end.