PITTSBURGH -- In federal court on Tuesday, the defense spent the day trying to show the evidence against a former Allegheny County coroner adds up to only crumbs.

Check Out Bob Mayo's Live Update

Dr. Cyril Wecht, who has led inquiries into the deaths of Elvis Presley, JonBenet Ramsey and Vincent Foster among others, is accused of using his government staff as bookkeepers, secretaries, couriers and gofers for his family and his private pathology practice.

Prosecutors said Wecht, 76, illegally used the county workers to cut costs in his private practice, which grossed nearly $9 million from 1997 through 2004. He never made more than $64,000 a year as county coroner.

Wecht's defense team is using government evidence gathered against him to try to make the case seem that it's not much.

Wecht's attorney, Mark Rush, is walking prosecution witness ex-secretary Eileen Young through document by document, fax by fax, from the two-dozen wire fraud allegations that are part of the 41-count criminal indictment.

Wecht's defense team is trying to show through phone records exactly how much he cost taxpayers in money and time for each of the criminal counts of wire fraud against the former coroner.

The tally for 2003 adds up to $2.53 to fax, 58 minutes to prepare.

The tally for 2004 adds up to $1.35 to fax with 36 minutes to prepare.

Combine the first 24 counts together, and they add up to less than $4 in costs to taxpayers for faxing, and less than two hours of county work time.

Wecht's defense team also documented through the prosecution's witness that Wecht spent more than $146,000 a year maintaining a separate private office for his business.

They also tried to make the case that Wecht wasn't involved in the details of sending fake limo bills to clients.

"You took on the responsibilities so that Dr. Wecht could focus on science and do what he does best, forensic pathology?" Rush asked Young, who responded, "Yes."

Rush then asked her if Wecht trusted her work, in which she said, "Yes."

The trial, which is in its fourth week, is scheduled to continue on Wednesday.

---

Related Links:
More County News

Get RSS | E-Mail Alerts

---