Cyril Wecht wants job as county medical examiner

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Forensic pathologist Dr. Cyril Wecht says he wants his old job back as Allegheny County Medical Examiner.

The 80-year-old physician resigned the post in January 2006 after he was indicted on federal corruption charges accusing him of using his county staff for personal gain. Wecht’s 2008 trial ended with a deadlocked jury, and prosecutors dropped the charges months later after a judge ruled many records used as evidence against him had been seized illegally.

County Executive Dan Onorato must name a medical examiner because Dr. Karl Williams’ five-year term expired in December. The 63-year-old Williams is still acting medical examiner and says he has no plans to step down.

But Wecht tells the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review he’s still busy in private practice — doing 340 autopsies last year — and wants the job.

Onorato says he’s thinking about it.