Morgue Review
By Cyril Wecht, MD, JD & Mark Curriden
Review by Daryl W. Clemens
The sub-title to this book is "Forensic Answers To Nine Famous Cases", those cases being: Scott Peterson, Jayson Williams, Chandra Levy, Jonny Gammage, Jeffrey Digman, The Gander Air Crash, Jane Bolding, The JFK Assassination and Marilyn Monroe. Unfortunately answers seem to be few and far between, and many of the cases are still in question- at least one is, in fact, up for a new trial.
The author is aware of the seeming lack of answers and towards the end of the book Dr. Wecht offers up what may be one of the best quotes regarding the availability of evidence: "Contrary to what is glamorously and fascinatingly depicted in popular television shows and best-seller novels, unequivocal and definitive biological, physical, or forensic evidence is not always to be found, despite the most scrupulous search".
The book follows the now familiar formula of a series of case presentations outlining the crimes, the authors involvement, and his opinions about them. The cases chosen are among the most famous in recent history, and certainly make for interesting reading.
True crime fans will certainly find something of interest in this volume. Those seeking serious study may find themselves looking for more in depth presentations on the various cases. The JFK assassination in particular is interesting, in that Dr. Wecht is among the very few who have had access to the evidence in the case. However, there is so much information involved that it's hard to come to any conclusion based solely on what is presented in the chapter dedicated to the case. (Although Dr. Wecht's conclusions about the case are clear).
Famous cases, well presented by an expert forensic pathologist. While we might wish for a more thorough examination of each case, that doesn't prevent us from recommending it.
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