Today I interviewed Cyril Wecht, one of the most prolific forensic pathologists of our time. He has performed approximately 17,000 autopsies and has supervised, reviewed or has been consulted on approximately 30,000 additional postmortem examinations. He’s both a forensic pathologist and an attorney who has provided his expertise in numerous high profile cases, including the assassinations of both President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, the death of Elvis Presley, O.J. Simpson, Anna Nicole Smith, and JonBenet Ramsey. He’s written more than 12 books, including a forthcoming volume about the John F. Kennedy assassination, published innumerable papers, and served as president or chairman of countless boards and organizations. It could easily be said that he is the most prolific forensic pathologist of our time.
He had some interesting things to say, but more profound was the fact that he took the time to talk to me, an unknown, first time writer.
Interviewing people for this book has not been easy. In addition to battling my own insecurities, I've had to sneak past a guard into the garage of a medical school, send emails for over a year to multiple individuals, and bribe people with cookies to get them to talk to me. Next month I'm flying to Colorado to track someone down.
Dr. Wecht's time is worth more than any of these people's combined. I am humbled that he so simply and graciously gave it to me.
This is what makes him truly remarkable.