Department of Justice has inquiry of U.S. attorney

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Department of Justice has launched an inquiry into comments made by Pittsburgh’s U.S. attorney when she announced she was dropping charges against a renowned pathologist, ending a contentious years-long legal battle.

Mary Beth Buchanan said at the time that she still believed pathologist Cyril Wecht had committed a crime. He had been accused of using his public office — Allegheny County medical examiner — to benefit his multimillion-dollar private practice.

Dick Thornburgh — a former U.S. attorney general who was part of the pathologist’s defense team — lodged a complaint with the department after the June 2 news conference, saying U.S. attorney Mary Beth Buchanan’s comments were “completely improper, violate all notions of prosecutorial ethics and decency, and warrant remedial action by the Department of Justice.”

In a letter dated July 8, the department informed Thornburgh it had “initiated an inquiry into your allegations.” The department said it would inform him of the outcome of the inquiry.

Wecht is a well-known pathologist who has consulted on high-profile cases, including Elvis Presley’s. He recently appeared on dozens of national TV shows discussing Michael Jackson’s death. Wecht, a Democrat, has long said Buchanan’s case against him was politically motivated.

Buchanan was appointed by President George W. Bush in September 2001; the nation’s federal prosecutors serve at the discretion of the president.