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Purveyor

(29,876 posts) Wed Nov 28, 2012, 07:24 PM Nov 2012

Official: Nearly 200 Released From Prison Because Of Mass. Drug Lab Scandal, Cases Put On Hold

Source: Associated Press

STEVE LeBLANC
Associated Press
4:06 p.m. EST, November 28, 2012

BOSTON (AP) — Nearly 200 inmates have been released from prison and their cases put on hold as a result of a Massachusetts state drug testing lab scandal.

Public Safety Secretary Mary Beth Heffernan told lawmakers at a public hearing Wednesday that while investigators are looking at about 34,000 cases overall, 195 individuals have been released, 79 in Boston.

Heffernan said their release doesn't mean they have been exonerated. She didn't say what kinds of crimes they had been convicted of, but said they could be under alternative forms of supervision as they await future court hearings to resolve their cases.

An aide to Heffernan later declined to release any information about the past convictions, citing the state's criminal offender record law. A handful of those released have since been re-arrested.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-us-massachusetts-lab-shutdown-20121128,0,2282297.story

7 replies

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Official: Nearly 200 Released From Prison Because Of Mass. Drug Lab Scandal, Cases Put On Hold (Original Post) Purveyor Nov 2012 OP

That chemist is going to cost Massachusetts a fortune. TheCowsCameHome Nov 2012 #1

Free on 10,000$ Bail.... davidthegnome Nov 2012 #2

Could she have ties to private prison corps? nt Mnemosyne Nov 2012 #3

Is this chemist someone Willard (R) hired while he was governor? Berlum Nov 2012 #4

Is this like the beginning of the movie Scarface? slackmaster Nov 2012 #5

Probably small-scale THC "labs". n/t tridim Nov 2012 #6

She was testing for cocaine and heroin. Moosepoop Nov 2012 #7

TheCowsCameHome

(40,168 posts)

1. That chemist is going to cost Massachusetts a fortune.

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Wed Nov 28, 2012, 07:34 PM

Nov 2012

What is wrong with her?

davidthegnome

(2,983 posts)

2. Free on 10,000$ Bail....

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Wed Nov 28, 2012, 07:51 PM

Nov 2012

It seems to me that someone who may be responsible for a large number of wrongful convictions.. for helping to put innocent people in prison... well, it seems to me that she should have a higher bail amount, or none at all. 34,000 cases being looked at? 195 individuals released? Jesus. What the hell happened here?

Mnemosyne

(21,363 posts)

3. Could she have ties to private prison corps? nt

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Wed Nov 28, 2012, 07:53 PM

Nov 2012

Berlum

(7,044 posts)

4. Is this chemist someone Willard (R) hired while he was governor?

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Wed Nov 28, 2012, 08:05 PM

Nov 2012

slackmaster

(60,567 posts)

5. Is this like the beginning of the movie Scarface?

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Wed Nov 28, 2012, 08:15 PM

Nov 2012

tridim

(45,358 posts)

6. Probably small-scale THC "labs". n/t

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Wed Nov 28, 2012, 08:21 PM

Nov 2012

Moosepoop

(1,920 posts)

7. She was testing for cocaine and heroin.

Reply to tridim (Reply #6)

Thu Nov 29, 2012, 11:33 AM

Nov 2012

There may have been THC testing involved, too -- but cocaine and heroin testing are at least part of the mix.

This story is from October and covers the argument concerning Dookhan's illegal actions that the defense used in the trial of Shawn Drumgold:

http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/2012/10/11/state-chemist-testifies-annie-dookhan-did-not-test-drugs-shawn-drumgold-drug-case/39MJCXnIpNBRXgGdsdUwRI/story.html

Now he is being tried again before Judge David Weingarten on charges of possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of heroin, second offense. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

State Police have said Dookhan handled 60,000 samples involving 34,000 criminal cases during her nine-year career at the closed Department of Public Health lab. Dookhan has pleaded not guilty to two counts of obstruction of justice and one count of falsifying her academic records. She is free on $10,000 cash bail.

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