Former Massachusetts crime lab chemist Annie Dookhan entered a plea of not guilty last week in response to charges that she tampered with drug evidence and faked test results. Her case has been in the headlines for several months as the state comes to grips with just how far-reaching her mistakes could be. One man, who had cocaine distribution charges against him dropped in light of Dookhan’s mess, is now the first to file a lawsuit against her, though not likely the last. [Read more…]
More Crime Lab Evidence Tampering
The Massachusetts criminal justice system continues to take a beating. With the continuing scandal still brewing over Annie Dookhan, another state lab worker is arrested – Sonja Farak, a chemist in the Amherst crime lab. She allegedly replaced evidence that tested positive as heroin and cocaine with counterfeit substances while taking the actual drugs for personal use. [Read more…]