PITTSBURGH -- Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala is under attack.

The explosive allegations come from lawyers for the indicted former medical examiner, Dr. Cyril Wecht.

Channel 4 Action News reporter Bob Mayo says they're again raising questions about Zappala's financial relationship with his former law firm.

Mayo reported the following on April 21, 2006, on WTAE Channel 4 Action News at 5 p.m.

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Their blast against District Attorney Stephen Zappala first came in federal court defense documents as Cyril Wecht fights theft of services charges.

But the issues they raise are putting pressure on the district attorney to answer questions about his own conduct.

Wecht's attorneys point to public documents showing Zappala has tossed more than $250,000 in business to his former law firm through no-bid contracts to serve as solicitor to the district attorney's office. Now they question why that firm is being paid to work on criminal cases.

Wecht’s attorney, Jerry McDevitt: "This is the stuff the public pays the district attorney to do -- not some private law firm that then sends amounts of money back to Mr. Zappala in amounts that he refuses to disclose."

Since Zappala became district attorney about eight years ago, he's been getting ongoing payments from that firm -- Brucker, Schnieder and Porter.

McDevitt: "He's ducked every question that's been put to him, to the point of running out of press conferences as the highest ranking law enforcement official in Allegheny County, refusing to answer the simple question.”

In his ethics law disclosure forms, Zappala describes the payments as a buyout of his law partnership.

Zappala, on April 12: “I'm not going to dignify what this particular person has said about me until it's the appropriate time and that's all I have to say.”

Mayo, on April 12: “Just one point if I could clarify ..."

On April 12, Zappala did walk out on Channel 4 Action News questions about those continuing payments.

Now, Wecht's lawyers claim Zappala's using his old firm not just for civil work, but work on cases involving political rivals.

McDevitt: "They're charging him for time spent on mayor Murphy's case, on the sheriff's case, on Cyril Wecht's case. They have no business being involved in any criminal law function of the district attorney's office. It's highly improper. That's not what a solicitor does.”

Zappala will not comment on his dealings with his old law firm.

He says the criminal indictment of Wecht is being addressed by the U.S. attorney, not his office, and he says the U.S. attorney will respond to what he calls "the insinuations of this defendant."

Zappala's office says his old law firm won't answer Channel 4 Action News questions because of "attorney client privilege."

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