Mortal Evidence: The Forensics Behind Nine Shocking Cases

Sometimes we read in great depth the details surrounding high interest crime cases and they become overwhelming because of so many opinions, both in reporting and in conjecture. It takes a book such as The Forensics Behind Nine Shocking Cases to put each of these cases in proper perspective. I actually finished the book in one evening. Couldn't put it down!

Dr. Wecht has spent years in various positions within the criminal justice system. During his time he has worked on such celebrated cases as the Chappaquiddick case, which involved Send. Edward Kennedy and more recently on the O.J. Simpson murder trial. The book follows the investigation and details of the forensics used in nine cases, some of which are new and others which have faded a bit into history. He discusses the obvious cases that seemingly every forensic expert has an opinion on, namely JonBenet Ramsey and O.J. Simpson. But he also goes back farther into time and brings to light things about the Sam Sheppard case. His case was the inspiration for The Fugitive TV show and movie. Dr. Wecht also was asked to look into the death of Tammy Wynette, one of country music's favorite stars and this case gets a treatment as well. Throughout every case, Dr. Wecht not only gives us some details about the forensics involved, but he also stops and takes the time explain what some of the medical terms used actually mean, in layman's terms. What this gives us is a Cliff's Notes type of medical dictionary that we can take with us as we read more cases, so that we increase our understanding of the terms used in autopsy reports and other medical evaluations. His reports are clear and concise, with no wasted words. This is not to say he does not fully the cover the material, he just does not drone on about things that do not pertain to the case. I also like his style of writing. he uses a host of medical terms, but never does it seem that he is trying to overwhelm or prove his intelligence. He is, I believe, trying to give us the jargon used in his line of work so that some of the mystery is removed from the legal documents when read in the future. To me, this book serves two purposes. It offers a glimpse inside some of the most interesting investigations in the past 30 years. But it also serves as a mini-dictionary of forensic terms, so that you can take the knowledge with you into more reading and investigation. I highly recommend this book and look foward to hearing more from Dr. Wecht.

I just love CSI and I think forensics are absolutely fascinating. This book has an amazing attention to detail. It's a book that really gets you thinking. Wecht truly reveals some gripping discoveries in these cases. A worthwhile read.

Well-written with exceptional content. I could not put it down. Would definitely recommend this book.

This book explains the author's theories behind nine well known cases. It is well written and easy to understand. Once I started reading about one of the cases I could not put the book down until I reached the end.The writer definitely paints a realistic "word picture" making you feel like you are along for the ride with Dr. Wecht in each one of his investigations.