W. T. Rossiter III, Member of County AIDS Panel, Dies

Dr. William T. Rossiter III, a forensic mental health expert and member of the Los Angeles County AIDS Commission, died Tuesday of complications arising from AIDS, Los Angeles County Supervisor Ed Edelman said.

Rossiter, an Edelman appointee and one of the original members of the AIDS commission, died at his Silver Lake home. He was 37.

As a forensic mental health specialist, Rossiter worked as a consultant to the state Department of Mental Health and developed a conditional release program for treating court-committed mental patients and specialized in psychological problems associated with AIDS.

Rossiter was a past president of the Forensic Mental Health Assn. of California and also formed the Healing Network, a grass-roots support network for AIDS patients in the Silver Lake area.

“I am deeply grieved that his illness cut short a brilliant career and deprived us of his excellent services on the commission,” said Edelman. “Dr. Rossiter faced his fatal illness with admirable calm and courage, and I shall miss him.”