MA Drug Lab Chemist at Heart of Scandal Charged
Date:
09/28/2012
Contributor:
Sarah Birnbaum
Dateline:
Boston Download:
Annie Dookhan, the former Massachusetts drug lab chemist, who admitted to faking drug sample results, forging signatures and skipping proper procedures has been arrested.
Dookhan faces two counts of obstruction of justice and one count of falsely pretending to hold a degree from a college or university. Attorney General Martha Coakley said more charges could follow:
“She’s only facing 3 counts today relating to 2 particular cases. And if you think of the scope of time and the number of cases, we do expect this to be an ongoing investigation. This is not the end of the charging."
The arrest comes as special courts are being established to handle the onslaught of criminal cases that could be reopened because of Dookhan’s actions.
So far, authorities have found more 1100 inmates who are in prison based on evidence analyzed by Dookhan.
Judges have freed, reduced the bail, or suspended the sentences of at least 20 defendants.
Dookhan previously admitted to investigators she faked test results on drug samples and took other shortcuts.
Coakley didn’t identify a motive but implied Dookhan wasn’t stealing the drugs or using them herself:
“We certainly do not have as we’ve seen in other cases someone who had a drug habit or someone who was looking for a monetary gain. We do not have that evidence in this case.”
Annie Dookhan resigned from her job in march after she was found forging a coworkers initials on lab paperwork.
According to thestate police reports, Dookhan admitted guilt, telling investigators, “I messed up bad. I don’t want the lab to get in trouble.”
