Wecht fraud charges - going, going....

Only 14 of the original 84 federal felony charges filed against Dr. Cyril H. Wecht remain. Wecht has been called upon as an expert in high profile cases such as the death of JonBenet Ramsey, Clinton White House deputy counsel Vince Foster and Elvis Presley.


Paula Reed Ward of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes on Saturday, November 08, 2008:

Prosecution cuts charges to 14 in new Wecht trial

According to the defense, those counts represent all of the public corruption charges that remained against Dr. Wecht.

"I don't know why they don't just drop the whole thing," defense attorney Jerry McDevitt said after the hearing. "I know of no case where the government so overcharged any human being, failed to get a single conviction, dropped 70 charges and continued such a prosecution."

The counts that remain include five charges of wire fraud, five counts of mail fraud and four counts of theft from an organization receiving federal funds.

"What remains now are nine charges that do not involve public corruption but instead question expense charges made by Dr. Wecht to private clients, not one of whom ever complained," Mr. McDevitt said. "These charges in total involve trivial amounts, some as low as $25."