Dr. Wecht, appearing on the syndicated "America's Morning Show with Quinn and Rose," based in Pittsburgh, said that an investigator working for the Schindlers' lawyers had called him on Thursday to see whether he would be agreeable to observing the autopsy.

Dr. Wecht told Quinn and Rose he was certainly agreeable to that, but that several hours later he received word that the medical examiner had declined to give him permission.

Dr. Wecht told the morning hosts that he considered this a mistake, according to Rose Somma Tennent. "He said that, if this were in [his] office, [he] would have said sure - not just because of professional courtesy, but because of the controversy sourrounding this case," Somma Tennet said.

Calls made during the show to the medical examiner's office were not returned.

The results from the autopsy are expected in a few weeks.

Editor's note: