The resignation of John Auerbach, the state’s top public health official, offers a measure of accountability for the fiasco at the state drug testing lab. But it comes as cold comfort for any defendant imprisoned, held on high bail, deported, stripped of child custody, or tossed out of public housing based on potentially tainted evidence.
Former forensic chemist Annie Dookhan, the subject of a criminal probe, tested roughly 60,000 samples in 34,000 criminal drug cases before her resignation in March. Investigators say she willfully ignored her duties, even mixing samples to ensure positive results. Prosecutors and defense attorneys are trying to determine the exact extent of the damage. One miscarriage of justice would be too many. But the number could reach into the hundreds.
Comments
The best cure for the commonwealth's ills would be for Diminutive Deval Patrick and Tiny Timmy Murray to immediately resign. Makes ya sick!
It would be good to have some more concrete explanation--like, why our Commissioner was ejected; and how, possibly, logically, one single rogue chemist--just one?-- could make such a serious mess--OK, that's two people (Annie and John), but John is merely moving to a new job (the lab incident a career "blemish" our Mayor explained), and no one's heard from Annie, really. What's very concerning is the possibility that Public Health in the Commonwealth could be so closely related to Law Enforcement... such that Health or Law could be so adversely and devastatingly affected--completely unjustly victimizing some, maybe even resulting in death or severe life ruination, while passing out the Get Out of Jail cards for some very dangerous types. Using our most important health care agency as a legal entity or ultimately as a weapon? Not a good idea.