Cyril Wecht Jury Deadlocked, Will Return Monday

By Jeralyn, Section Crime in the News
Posted on Fri Apr 04, 2008 at 11:22:32 AM EST
Tags: cyril wecht (all tags)

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Good news for forensic pathologist and tv pundit Cyril Wecht. After 9 days of deliberation in his federal trial on theft of public services for using the state coroner's office to conduct autopsies and private business, the jury is deadlocked. The jury's note:

"After considering all counts in a variety of ways and in reconsideration of all individual opinions according to the court instructions, we have unanimously agreed we have reached an impasse," the note read. "We agree additional deliberations would not be helpful."

They will return Monday, but trial watchers say it's very good news for Cyril. [More...]

Background:

The accusations include using county equipment, vehicles and employees in his private forensic pathology business.

In the most notorious charge, Dr. Wecht is accused of trading unclaimed cadavers to Carlow College in Pittsburgh for use of space to conduct his private autopsies.

The Pittsburgh-Gazette has full coverage of the trial here. As I wrote here, I rarely agree with Cyril on criminal cases, but I like him personally. Good Luck, Cyril.

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Cyril Wecht Jury Deadlocked, Will Return Monday | 4 comments (4 topical)

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TL, (none / 0) (#1)
by ding7777 on Fri Apr 04, 2008 at 12:13:49 PM EST

During the John Mark Karr media frenzy, you said you disagreed with Dr.Wecht re the Ramsey case.

You said you'd post your take of the case.

Do you have link for it?

Glad to hear this too (none / 0) (#2)
by standingup on Fri Apr 04, 2008 at 12:17:29 PM EST

since it was another of the long list of suspect political prosecutions by the Bush DOJ.

Isn't this linked to the US Attorney scandal? (none / 0) (#3)
by Xeno on Fri Apr 04, 2008 at 03:05:12 PM EST

I read a while back that the US Attorney involved in Wecht's case may have targeted him because he is a prominent Democrat. (Probably saw that on TPM before JMM fell under BO's spell.)


: Yes (none / 0) (#4)
by standingup on Fri Apr 04, 2008 at 04:56:44 PM EST

Dick Thornburgh went before the HJC in October 2007 on behalf of Wecht and gave his opinion that USA Mary Beth Buchanan was pursing this for political reasons. TPM covered it and the rest of the US Attorney scandal very well. I have more or less stopped reading TPM during the primaries too.
The HJC website has Thornburgh's written testimony available. I don't think it is quite as egregious as Siegelman's prosecution but none of it is acceptable.