cover image Cause of Death: 2a Leading Forensic Expert Sets the Record Straight

Cause of Death: 2a Leading Forensic Expert Sets the Record Straight

Cyril H. Wecht, Mark Curriden, Benjamin Wecht. Dutton Books, $23 (336pp) ISBN 978-0-525-93661-9

If you like conspiracies, red herrings and convoluted reasoning, you'll love this book. Wecht, a forensic pathologist, has testified in cases argued by the likes of F. Lee Bailey and Alan Dershowitz. This book, though interesting in parts, is uneven as it rehashes cases involving famous and not so famous deaths. Wecht opens with the three Kennedy brothers: JFK was not killed by Lee Harvey Oswald alone; there was someone on the grassy knoll, he contends. Wecht discusses the mystery of JFK's missing brain (he indicates that Robert Kennedy may have taken it) and even suggests that the President's body should be exhumed. As for Robert Kennedy, Wecht acknowledges that a slug taken from RFK's neck was traced to Sirhan Sirhan's gun, but states that Sirhan did not kill RFK. Regarding Ted Kennedy and the death of Mary Jo Kopechne, Wecht notes that ``there's very little new information or evidence,'' yet he regurgitates theories dealing with the botched investigation. Other celebrity cases involve Jeffrey MacDonald, Jean Harris and Claus von Bulow--all of whom he believes to be innocent of the crimes of which they're accused. And he does a thorough work-up on Elvis Presley. Photos. (Nov.)