STORY: "Bad chemist may have caused many wrongful convictions in Massachussetts" published by WBUR.org on August 31, 2012. (Our thanks to the Wrongful Convictions Blog for drawing attention to this important story);
GIST: "A chemist at the Massachusetts State Police crime lab in Jamaica Plain improperly handled drug evidence and breached procedures, leading police to worry about wrongful convictions and potential “miscarriages of justices” by corrupted evidence, state police said Thursday afternoon. Gov. Deval Patrick ordered state police to shut the lab down early Thursday as police and the attorney general’s office investigate possible “malfeasance” of a chemist at the lab that could affect thousands of drug cases over several years. Patrick ordered the lab closing after additional evidence came to light as part of an ongoing investigation looking at “improprieties” at the lab that conducts tests in drug cases. Within the last five days, state police investigators uncovered more improprieties than they originally thought, state police said during a press conference held at the Framingham headquarters. Investigators are looking at one chemist, who resigned in March. Police did not release the woman’s name. Thousands of drug cases will now have to be reviewed, Massachusetts State Police Superintendent Timothy Alben said. The crime lab largely handles drug evidence in Suffolk and Norfolk counties. “The potential is that we have people incarcerated or who have been wrongly prosecuted,” Alben said. “The consequences here are a miscarriage of justice. That is why we are taking this drastic step.”
The entire story can be found at:
http://wrongfulconvictionsblog.org/2012/08/31/bad-chemist-may-have-caused-many-wrongful-convictions-in-massachusetts/
PUBLISHER'S NOTE:
I am monitoring this situation.. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments.
The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at:
http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith
Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at:
http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html
Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com
Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog.
