Lawyers for former Allegheny County Coroner Dr. Cyril H. Wecht filed a response yesterday opposing a move of his retrial to Erie.

The government filed a motion with U.S. District Judge Sean J. McLaughlin this month asking that Dr. Wecht's second trial be moved out of the Pittsburgh area because of extensive publicity following the hung jury in April.

The defense contended that moving the trial is not necessary.

"The majority of the news articles published concerning this case reported on the facts of the case, the pleadings filed by the parties, and the events that occurred at trial. These reports are not inherently prejudicial," Attorney Mark Rush wrote.

Further, the defense said moving the trial would be prohibitively expensive for Dr. Wecht -- adding at least $111,960 in hotel, technology and meal costs.