July 21, 2008

Arguments Set In Aug. For Wecht Retrial Case

PITTSBURGH (KDKA/AP) ― A federal appeals court has set a date for oral arguments to begin on whether former Allegheny County Coroner Dr. Cyril Wecht should be retried on theft and fraud charges.

A three-judge panel is now set to hear arguments on August 4th.

Wecht is accused of using his former government office to do work that benefited his private practice.

His first trial ended with a hung jury in April.

Wecht's attorneys claim a retrial would be double jeopardy.

But U.S. District Judge Arthur Schwab and prosecutors say retrying Wecht doesn't constitute double jeopardy because Wecht's attorneys moved for a mistrial when the jury was deadlocked.

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