Doctor plays role in important court cases

Vincent Di Maio has performed more than 9,000 autopsies

SAN ANTONIO – From the baby death scandal that rocked San Antonio in the early ‘80s to the exhumation of the body of Lee Harvey Oswald to the trial of the accused killer of Trayvon Martin, Dr. Vincent Di Maio has been involved in history-making cases.

Di Maio, the former Bexar County chief medical examiner, has a philosophy when it comes to his career as a forensic pathologist.

“You cannot get personally involved in this,” he said.

Personally, no.  But professionally, yes.

The baby death scandal in San Antonio is where infants were dying at an alarming rate at University Hospital during Nurse Genene Jones’s shift. The hospital destroyed records making prosecution impossible.

“No case was ever reported to this day,” Di Maio fumed. “It really makes me mad.”

Jones was later convicted in a baby death case in Kerrville and is serving a life sentence.

In the Martin case in Florida, Di Maio testified for George Zimmerman, the accused killer.  Zimmerman claimed self-defense.

“There was physical evidence to show he was telling the truth,” Di Maio said. “A lot of people didn’t like that. It ruined a good story.”

In 1981, questions arose about whether Oswald’s body was actually buried in a Fort Worth cemetery. Di Maio participated in the exhumation of Oswald’s body and recalls that the presidential assassin’s widow offered doctors a piece of history — a ring from Oswald’s body. They declined to accept it.

“She gave me the ring and I looked at it. And I said I don’t feel good about it either, so I put it back in the coffin,” he said.

Di Maio is equally comfortable testifying for either the prosecution or the defense.

He said, “All I can do is testify as to what you know and hope that justice is done. I’ve seen very nice people who’ve been convicted of murder and some really nasty people who got off.

Di Maio is candid when he talks about a professional life that deals almost exclusively with death.

“It’s not being calloused,” he said. “It’s just, that’s life.”

Di Maio has authored hundreds of publications. His most widely published is a book on gunshot wounds. It is frequently used by his peers during examinations and courtroom testimony.

Di Maio is modest as he looks back on his career and reputation as one of the most respected forensic pathologists in America.

Asked how he wanted to be remembered, Di Maio replied, “That I did good work. That’s about it.”


About the Author:

Paul Venema is a courthouse reporter for KSAT with more than 25 years experience in the role.