Revealing the shocking truth behind some of America's most sensational cases, a forensic expert discusses the death of White House counsel Vincent Foster, the notorious alien autopsy, David Koresh, O. J. Simpson, and more. 30,000 first printing. $35,000 ad/promo. Doubleday. Tour.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
In the foreword to this book, Michael (Unnatural Death: Confessions of a Medical Examiner) Baden, M.D. says that Cyril Wecht, M.D., J.D. ("no shrinking violet") has selected from his 35-year career "a fascinating batch of cases in which his knowledge as a forensic pathologist was crucial in exposing official mistakes or otherwise illuminating weaknesses in the criminal justice system."
Grave Secrets brings out interesting forensic details in the following cases in which Dr. Wecht was personally involved: (1) the O. J. Simpson murder and civil trials (Wecht has an intriguing theory), (2) the death of Vincent Foster, (3) the Branch Davidian tragedy at Waco, (4) a racially-charged shootout in Cleveland in 1968, (5) a 1969 Black Panther episode, (6) alleged negligence after the 1989 Oakland earthquake, (7) a 1977 nightclub fire in Kentucky, (8-9) two unrelated deaths in Taiwan--a visiting Chinese-American professor and a Chinese activist, (10) the alleged poisoning of a Pakistani general, (11) the controversial murder of a Filipino maid in Singapore, (12) the swine flu scare of 1976, (13) a possible mob connection in the suspicious conviction of a Connecticut man for murdering his family, and (14) the "alien autopsy" footage from Roswell, New Mexico. (Note: Dr. Wecht, along with coauthors Mark Curridwen and Benjamin Wecht, also wrote Cause of Death>. --Fiona Webster --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Publishers Weekly
The subtitle is an unfortunate bit of hype, since Wecht (Cause of Death), Pittsburgh forensic pathologist, reveals no "startling truth" of the three cases mentioned. The non-self-aggrandizing scientist is uncertain about the rightness of the Simpson verdict, although not about the bungling of the "Keystone coroners" who handled the evidence; he laments the government's action in the Koresh confrontation at Waco; he leaves no doubt that White House counsel Foster's death was a suicide, as reported. But Wecht's book becomes absorbing when he turns to older or less publicized cases and shows that the shooting of Chicago Black Panther leader Fred Hampton in 1969 was murder by the police, that the leisurely rescue attempts by Bay Area authorities after the 1989 earthquake caused at least four needless deaths and that the swine flu "epidemic" of 1976-1977 was a costly hype. The author's picture of the ineptitude of many local officials, especially in forensics, is chilling. Photos.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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More About the Author
Cyril H. Wecht, MD, JD, one of the world's leading forensic pathologists/lawyers, is the author or co-author of A Question of Murder, Tales from the Morgue, Mortal Evidence, Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey?, Grave Secrets, Cause of Death, and hundreds of professional publications. He has served as president of both the American College of Legal Medicine and the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, and has appeared on numerous nationally syndicated television programs, including Dateline NBC, 48 Hours Mystery, 20/20, On the Record with Greta Van Susteren, Geraldo at Large, Issues with Jane Velez- Mitchell, and many others.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Crime Scene Investigations,
By Acute Observer (By the Shore NJ) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Grave Secrets: Leading Forensic Expert Reveals Startling Truth abt O J Simpson Vincent Foster D (Hardcover)
These chapters came from cases where his knowledge was crucial in exposing official mistakes of showing weaknesses by the prosecution. The accuracy and fairness of crime lab evidence are entirely dependent on proper identification, protection, and transfer of evidence from the crime scene. The Introduction explains how a seeming accident was found to be murder by analyzing the entrance wound and the position of the shotgun. Forensic pathology investigates sudden, violent, or unexplained deaths. 75% of all deaths are from natural causes, 75% of the rest are accidental. About 1.5% are suicides and homicides. Many of the most controversial cases on record have involved medical examiner systems, due to political influence (p.9).Chapter 1 deals with the Trial of OJ Simpson, and the evidence for guilt or innocence. One of the biggest mistakes was to not get a forensic pathologist to the scene immediately; important evidence was lost forever (p.34). Nicole's stomach contents were discarded; if empty, then 3 or more hours elapsed since her last meal. Page 43 tells of the high error rate in laboratory testing of blood and other specimens. Nicole's uncorroborated diary wrote of being followed to a "Payless shoe store". Would a fan of fashion and style ever go there? Page 49 says there is NO regulation on DNA testing, or of the astronomical percentage estimates. Page 59 tells that two weeks after the murders there was no blood on those socks; weeks later there was! Page 67 says no cuts were seen on OJ's hands on the flight to Chicago. Page 70 tells of Cochran's wearing that knitted cap; to me, it looked like a child's cap. Chapter 2 discusses the suicide of Vincent Foster, and how rumor mongers blew it up into a fantasy (p.81). Chapter 3 tells of his investigations into the aftermath of Waco. This was a tragedy that never should have occurred (p.100). Chapter 4 tells of a shoot-out in Cleveland; the coroner's staff was guilty of deliberate, willful, and clever deception (p.114). Chapter 5 tells of a shooting in Chicago where "this whole operation may have been nothing more than a political assassination" (p.131). The State Attorney and the police officers involved in the raid were charged, and found at fault (p.134). Chapter 6 deals with the 1989 Oakland earthquake. Many who died would be alive if state and local emergency management officials had done their jobs quickly and efficiently (p.142). The autopsy reports were done by the lowest bidder, and the reports had the lowest quality (p.146). Chapter 7 tells of the nightclub fire in 1977 Cincinnati. Many did not die of burns or smoke inhalation, but from invisible and odorless toxic fumes (p.162). Chapter 8 explains why a fall from a high building was homicide and not suicide or an accident. Chapter 9 investigated the mysterious death of a government opponent; it was an accident. Chapter 10 tells of the unexpected death of a government official; it was a natural death. Chapter 11 tells of the execution of a maid that caused an international incident. Chapter 12 deals with the swine flu panic of 1976, a result from using "Legionnaires Disease" to allocate money and authority to the CDC and FDA (p.231). At least 52 people died after receiving swine flu vaccine. Chapter 13 tells of a man serving a life sentence for stabbing his wife and her parents. Fingerprints found at the scene did not match the suspect, the victims, or those who were in the house before the murders (p.247). After the State forced the defense lawyer off the case, he was convicted at the third trial (p.258)! Pages 259-60 tell why a jury will convict even if the evidence is unconvincing! Chapter 14 tells of his viewing of an 18 minute videotape of an autopsy on an unknown being. He could not say it was a hoax.
6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Very disappointing,
By evillurksathome "evillurksathome" (New Orleans, LA United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Grave Secrets: Leading Forensic Expert Reveals Startling Truth abt O J Simpson David Koresh Vin (Paperback)
I have no doubt in my mind that Dr. Wecht is a talented and very experienced forensic pathologist. However, as a book on this subject, it is the worst that comes to mind. I wouldn't even recommend this to someone as an introduction to the subject. Most of the book seems to point to someone with an extremely large ego, which is unfortunate. Most of the book consists of how he got introduced to the case, his sterling reputation, his travel plans, and even what he ate. In chapter 11, page 216, he writes: "An elaborate buffet of vegetables and meats had been prepared for us, but because we had eaten on the flight to Manila, the three of us settled for soft drinks." This is how most of the book reads. What makes the author think I have any interest in this? I am interested in interesting cases or unusual events or facts of forensic pathology. There is very little written as far as technical information regarding the subject. In most of the cases in this book, he does little more than travel to an interesting locale, read the official autopsy report, agree with it, and leave. Are these the best cases that the author could have documented? You can actually get more detailed information about these cases from newspaper articles, and that is very upsetting. And in the cases where something interesting was discovered, the author never follows up on it. It is as if once he was out of the official investigation, he had no interested in it. Well, as someone who IS interested in the subject, I want to know the conclusion of the case, if possible. There is a reason that this book is out of print. It isn't very good. I will expect a better effort from this author in the future. Do not buy this book. Instead, buy Dead Men Do Tell Tales by William R. Maples. It is MUCH better.
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Or "Self-serving accounts from a left-leaning pathologist",
By A Customer
This review is from: Grave Secrets: Leading Forensic Expert Reveals Startling Truth abt O J Simpson Vincent Foster D (Hardcover)
Dr. Wecht will skew the facts presented in his book to justify his own liberal viewpoint. He dismisses some hard-to-dispute facts to serve his criminal-pandering ideology. His intolerance of "radical rightwingers" is typical of a defense-paid expert; his star-struck, namedropping accounts (a la Lance Ito) are too nauseating to stomach.
You'll only need to read the first chapter of this book, depicting his take on the evidence presented in O.J. trial, to be convinced that Dr. Wecht is just like any other highly paid expert--he'll say just about anthing for a buck.
Read it if you are a criminal-loving bleeding heart. Skip it if your a thinking person with high blood pressure.
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