PITTSBURGH — A federal appeals court Friday refused to dismiss fraud and theft charges against pathologist Cyril Wecht and said he can be tried again — but ordered the judge replaced to help ease the "rancor in the courtroom."

Wecht, 77, is accused of using his former Allegheny County coroner's staff to benefit his private business and of trading unclaimed county morgue cadavers for office and lab space at a university where he taught. Wecht was also charged with mail fraud for allegedly overbilling clients for bogus travel expenses.