The ramifications of the Commonwealth’s latest law enforcement travesty continues. The review of various cases tainted at the hands of the credibility-challenged drug lab chemist Annie Dookhan (hereinafter, “Exchemist”) continue. The apparently wrongful incarceration of various Massachusetts prisoners, however, are coming to an end. At least for a little while.…
Apparently, Annie Dookhan (hereinafter, “Exchemist”), the chemist at the center of the Commonwealth’s drug lab problems, may have been estranged from veracity for longer than we thought. As you would imagine, in order to even get her job at the lab, she had to show that she was qualified. She…
David Meier, a fellow former prosecutor turned criminal defense attorney, as Attorney Sam’s Take told you last week, is the lawyer placed in charge of assessing the extent of the state drug lab scandal. His findings thus far reflect that 690 people are in state prison and 450 people are…
With each day, the scandal over the Boston-based State Crime Lab and its problems in the testing of illegal drugs is becoming more and more serious. For example, Suffolk County judges have freed at least 11 defendants facing drug charges. Said defendants range from no record to lengthy criminal records.…
It is the Parole Board debacle all over again… except this time it is richly deserved. Due to the recently discovered failures of the Boston crime lab caused by ex-chemist Annie Dookhan (hereinafter, “Exchemist”) Massachusetts drug cases over the past several years are now subject to motions and appeals. Now,…
Soon, I have to think that just mentioning a drug case to Boston’s law enforcement community is soon going to produce nervous ticks on their faces. The higher up the ladder you go, the worse the twitch. Today, Attorney Sam’s Take discuss a police investigation into special treatment of a…
The recent discovery of at least one chemist’s inaccurate (to be generous) testing of illegal drugs is beginning what could become an avalanche of appeals, motions for new trials and motions to vacate plea bargains. In the meantime, the Jamaica Plain crime lab has been closed. Unlike the thefts of…
An investigation that recently led to the closure of a Massachusetts crime lab could have some defendants who were convicted of drug crimes filing their appeals. The lab, which is located in Jamaica Plain, was shut down after state police discovered that chemist Annie Dookhan did not follow testing protocols…
The Boston Police Department has been credited with collaborating with New Hampshire law officials and the FBI in what is being touted as a “significant international drug bust.” Yesterday, on September 4, 2012, the US Attorney for the district of New Hampshire, John P. Kacavas, announced the arrest of several…
Hello and happy Labor Day. Speaking of which, Boston’s law enforcement is about to have some extra labor it is going to have to shoulder. Particularly prosecutors. I was on CBS Thursday night discussing this one in case you happenned to tune into the 11:00 pm news. It is a…