Former Allegheny County Coroner Dr. Cyril H. Wecht was taken to a hospital yesterday after complaining of "severe dizziness," his lawyer said.

Attorney Mark Rush said Dr. Wecht, 75, was taken by ambulance from his Squirrel Hill home about 10:30 a.m. to UPMC Presbyterian and was "doing quite well."

"An MRI came back negative," said Mr. Rush, adding that Dr. Wecht has a history of inner ear problems. "They believe it's an inner ear issue. It's a swelling of the nerve of the inner ear."

Mr. Rush said Dr. Wecht would stay overnight for observation. A hospital official, however, said she had no record of him being admitted. Mr. Rush said he could not explain the discrepancy.

Dr. Wecht resigned from county office in January after a federal grand jury returned an 84-count indictment charging him with theft of honest services, mail fraud and wire fraud.

Last week, Dr. Wecht's attorneys asked that evidence seized by the FBI be kept out of his trial, attacking the credibility of an FBI agent who got search warrants for Dr. Wecht's records and also blaming the indictment on a political feud with District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr.