> nonfiction is wilder than fiction

Yup. Among other reasons, in this case due to the very much nonfictional consequences you’d expect in a “real world” story like this: Had Graw been convicted and stripped of his titles, basically anyone found guilty using evidence from one of his investigations/autopsies, even decades later, could attempt to appeal their case and very likely, this would have completely flooded the courts.

For this reason, this was a huge case here in Munich, and the prosecutors’ office, from what the public could read in newspapers, was very anxious about the outcome all throughout like 2024 to 2026, IIRC.

It would have created an absolutely unholy mess with plenty of collateral damage. This guy really deserved everything he got at the same time I wonder about his mental state. You have to be more than just a little bit disconnected from reality to do this sort of thing without a thought for the consequences. Now you almost have to wonder what other skeletons there are in that cupboard waiting to be uncovered.