Dr. Cyril Wecht

The prominent, controversial forensic pathologist Cyril Wecht will give a public lecture on Friday, July 20, at 1:00 p.m. in Eberly College Auditorium.

The event is part of the “CSI: IUP” course in the Cook Honors College Summer Honors Program for high school students.

Wecht gained fame beginning in the 1970s as the lone dissenter in four official examinations into the Kennedy assassination, arguing the prevailing single-bullet theory is inconsistent with Kennedy's head wounds. He has continued to make headlines with his investigations or reviews of many sensational cases, such as JonBenet Ramsey and Anna Nicole Smith.

In his IUP lecture, Wecht will discuss cases of western Pennsylvania or national interest that he's participated in or reviewed. He'll offer his views on how the investigation and autopsy were performed and whether justice was done.

"CSI: IUP" is a multidisciplinary course led by Indiana County coroner Mike Baker, Criminology professor Dennis Giever, Chemistry professor John Woolcock, Biology professor Carl Luciano, Cook associate director Kevin Berezansky, and Cook assistant director Heather Andring.

The Cook Summer Honors Program is offered to rising juniors and seniors in high school.