The Life and Deaths of Cyril Wecht - by Cyril H Wecht & Jeff Sewald (Paperback)

About the Book

"You've probably seen me on TV; America's most controversial forensic science expert. For the past 60 years, I have been speaking out about horrible things that I have seen happen to everyday people: murders, childhood deaths, tragic accidents, and police brutality, to name some. My expertise has also been called upon in death cases with a high media profile including those of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., Elvis Presley, JonBenâet Ramsey, Laci Peterson, and others. But in addition to offering testimony in and commentary on many fascinating and famous cases, I have also appeared in court as a high-profile defendant, a fact that gave me an insider's look at another side of American justice. And I learned some harsh lessons about ruthlessness and opportunism, not only in my hometown of Pittsburgh, but at the hands of politically partisan officials of the U.S. government. Not many people are willing to go to the mat in a fight with the Feds. The power they have to apply pressure to get a "guilty" plea from a defendant is overwhelming. The public must know that, when individuals dare to stand up to the authorities, whether it's a local DA, a U.S. Attorney, or an agent of the FBI, these people, if sufficiently provoked, with support from their institutions, can and will set out to get you"--

Book Synopsis

For six decades, Pittsburgh-based forensic scientist Cyril Wecht has been an outspoken authority when horrible things happen to everyday people--murders, childhood deaths, tragic accidents and police brutality. His expertise and testimony have been called upon in high-profile cases, including the deaths of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., Elvis Presley, JonBenet Ramsey, Laci Peterson and others.

As a criminal defendant, in 1979, he was acquitted on charges of personally profiting from his office as Allegheny County Coroner; a federal public corruption charge was dismissed in 2008. Both cases, his attorneys argued, were politically motivated. Wecht's memoir describes his work on famous cases, his life in the public eye and his legal battles with determined and powerful authorities, from his hometown DA to a U.S. Attorney and the FBI.

Review Quotes

"Cyril couldn't be intimidated if you faced him with a Sherman tank."-F. Lee Bailey

"Cyril is a no-nonsense, straight-talking expert. He's a renowned scientist who has little patience for rigmarole or politics. He speaks to the forensic truth of what his investigations and examinations reveal."-Geraldo Rivera

"Cyril Wecht has tremendous credibility. He is not a 'witness for hire.' He's a witness for truth."-Alan Dershowitz.

"Cyril Wecht is an old warrior. When I had dinner with him not too long ago, I could still see bright flashes of the curiosity, the indignation and the fire that have propelled his legendary career for five decades."-Alec Baldwin

"I respect Cyril enormously because he stays out there in the public eye and keeps saying what he believes. He's a straight shooter."-Oliver Stone

About the Author

The late Cyril H. Wecht M.D., J.D., was an internationally acclaimed forensic pathologist, attorney and medical-legal consultant who became famous for consulting on deaths with a high media profile. His expertise was called upon in cases involving John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., Elvis Presley, JonBenét Ramsey, Laci Peterson and Kurt Cobain, the fatal stabbings of the family of Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald, the O.J. Simpson slayings, and the Waco Branch Davidian fire, among many others. Jeff Sewald is an award-winning writer and filmmaker who specializes in defining the cultural significance of people, places, things and events. His films include Gridiron & Steel, a documentary focusing on the spiritual relationship that exists between the sport of football and the people of southwestern Pennsylvania; Peter Matthiessen: No Boundaries, about the legendary author and environmentalist; and We Knew What We Had: The Greatest Jazz Story Never Told, which chronicles the history and significance of jazz music in his hometown of Pittsburgh.