Tribute to Steven E. Pitt, D.O.
Abstract
Steven E. Pitt, D.O., was the victim of a homicide in May in Scottsdale, Ariz. Two colleagues pay tribute to him as both an outstanding forensic psychiatrist and warm, compassionate friend.
I first met Steve Pitt when we were residents at the University of Michigan in the mid-1980s. From the very beginning, he demonstrated attributes that would distinguish him throughout his career: hard work, curiosity, honesty, passion, and fearlessness. As a resident, he demonstrated the qualities that distinguished him as a forensic psychiatrist: superior ability to write quality reports and a compulsive tendency to make sure that every detail was attended to and every important article cited. He had a great sense of humor. His impersonations of our attendings made me laugh until I cried. Steve was also a diehard Michigan State (MSU) Spartan. As a result, he was always conflicted because he launched his career from the University of Michigan (UM). We had many a spirited discussion about UM-MSU football and basketball over the years.
Steve demonstrated his drive for independence early in his career. He pursued the field of forensic psychiatry after he completed his residency, which was unusual for a Michigan trainee at the time. He trained in a program that emphasized research and treatment of mood disorders and had no organized training related to forensic psychiatry for residents. His independent bent continued after he left Michigan and completed a forensic fellowship at the University of Maryland under the mentorship of Jonas Rappaport, M.D., a man that Steve respected greatly.
Steve spent very limited time working for an employer. He briefly worked at the state hospital in Pueblo, Colo., but his independent streak drove him to leave the confines of an institution. He chose to pursue his passion of creating a forensic practice and moved to the Phoenix area. It was at that time, the early 1990s, that he used his skills at forming friendships and developing networks of contacts to build his referral base. Rather than following the easy path of becoming a “court psychiatrist,” Steve set up a solo forensic practice and went about contacting numerous attorneys, investigators, and other people involved in the criminal justice system to develop a network. His approach and evaluation techniques were highly successful; he was quickly able to set up his team: Steven Pitt & Associates.
‘An Exceptional Role Model’ and Colleague
With shock and terrible sorrow, I offer tribute to our colleague, Dr. Steven Pitt, who was murdered on May 31 in the parking lot of his Scottsdale office as he was leaving work. Four days later and just hours before Steve’s memorial service, police announced that the gunman had taken his own life, bringing enormous relief that the violence had ended.
I met Steve in 1990 when I was a fourth-year medical student and he was a fellow in forensic psychiatry at the University of Maryland. Confident and charismatic, Steve exuded an ease with criminal defendants, a curiosity for the complexities of their behavior and motivations, and an obvious enthusiasm for teaching. After watching just a couple of his interviews, I thought Steve also had a flair for getting and telling a good story. He made this work look fun.
Five years later, having completed the same fellowship, I accepted a position he offered me on one of the forensic units at the Arizona State Hospital in Phoenix, where he served as my first supervisor and an early mentor. Steve was an exceptional role model. He inspired everyone he worked with to do his or her best.
As time went on, our lives got busy, lunches became less frequent, and we sometimes went several years without seeing each other. But I always thought of him during my tougher cases, and my calls to him never went to his voicemail. Since his death, I’ve had quite a few more conversations with Steve. I’ve procured some more of his sage advice and warm support, thanked him for all the memories, and promised to let him know how things turn out. Rest in peace, Steve.
-Elizabeth Kohlhepp, M.D. (Elizabeth Kohlhepp, M.D., is a past president of the Arizona Psychiatric Society and a forensic psychiatrist at Ventura Psychiatric Specialists, LLP. This article was excerpted from the original full tribute, which was published in the newsletter of the Arizona Psychiatric Society.)
Steve’s evaluation and writing skills netted him an excellent reputation as a forensic psychiatrist. His extensive professional network and high-quality work resulted in his being consulted on virtually every high-profile forensic case in the United States over the last 25 years. Despite his national reputation, he was not boastful or one to drop names or discuss cases “out of school.”
Steve was a pioneer in the use of videotaped interviews in conducting forensic evaluations. He incorporated the videos seamlessly into his forensic reports and helped the reader use them in the process. As a result, his reports were thorough, well researched, comprehensive, and easy to read. They left the reader with little doubt as to how he formulated his opinions.
Steve’s tendency to prepare, almost to a fault, left him in good stead. His preparation and ability to stay on top of the literature were used in each case he took on, as opposed to relying on his “training and experience.” This was a key to his success. No attorney was a match for Steve at deposition or at a trial. Here again, his fearlessness paid dividends. He relished the opportunity to provide testimony, seeing it as “going to war” and never intending to lose. He was able to succinctly, clearly, and forcefully give his opinions.
In addition to being an outstanding professional, Steve was an outstanding man. He helped raise two sons who grew into fine young men. He was honest, generous, and always willing to teach. He pushed his colleagues in their professional work, much as he pushed himself, and as a result made the team better. He was a great friend to me.
Steve’s untimely death leaves a huge hole in the forensic psychiatric community. He was a significant resource to numerous law enforcement entities throughout the country. Steve’s loss in the prime of his career is akin to Earvin “Magic” Johnson being taken from basketball mid-career. He had a lot of championships to win. He will be sorely missed. ■
The website of the Arizona Psychiatric Society is http://azpsych.org/apsnews.html. The society’s newsletter that includes Dr. Kohlhepp’s full tribute to Dr. Pitt, along with other tributes, is posted here.
