It still isn't clear what drove a JP State Drug Lab chemist allegedly to taint evidence in thousands of cases. But the attorney general says two common reasons don't appear to apply: a drug habit or money trouble.
By Chris Helms
What could possibly drive a chemist responsible for analyzing drugs seized in criminal cases to taint evidence thousands of times?
It's one of the big unanswered questions in the sprawling scandal that officials say stems from the actions of one JP State Drug Lab chemist -- Annie Dookhan.
Dookhan was arrested Friday at her Franklin home on two counts of obstruction of justice and one count of falsely pretending to hold a college degree. She was scheduled to be arraigned at 2 p.m.
Attorney General Martha Coakley, whose office has been investigating the scandal, spoke to the press from her Boston office. She said that, so far, no clear motive has emerged for Dookhan tampering with the evidence in as many as 34,000 cases.
But Coakley did say two common reasons a drug lab chemist might go rogue don't appear to apply: a drug habit or money trouble. Dookhan appears to have had neither.
Instead, a drive to be acknowledged as a good worker may be behind Dookhan's years-long alleged spree. Dookhan processed two or three times the drugs than her peers, Coakley said.
"[She] appeared to be proud of that in that she was thinking she was an effective worker," the state's chief law enforcement official said.
Whatever the motive, Coakley said the state is focused on dealing with the fallout.
"Uppermost is to get this right for individual defendants and make sure this doesn't happen again," Coakley said. "Her actions totally turned the system on its head."
Continue Reading: patch.com
By Chris Helms
What could possibly drive a chemist responsible for analyzing drugs seized in criminal cases to taint evidence thousands of times?
It's one of the big unanswered questions in the sprawling scandal that officials say stems from the actions of one JP State Drug Lab chemist -- Annie Dookhan.
Dookhan was arrested Friday at her Franklin home on two counts of obstruction of justice and one count of falsely pretending to hold a college degree. She was scheduled to be arraigned at 2 p.m.
Attorney General Martha Coakley, whose office has been investigating the scandal, spoke to the press from her Boston office. She said that, so far, no clear motive has emerged for Dookhan tampering with the evidence in as many as 34,000 cases.
But Coakley did say two common reasons a drug lab chemist might go rogue don't appear to apply: a drug habit or money trouble. Dookhan appears to have had neither.
Instead, a drive to be acknowledged as a good worker may be behind Dookhan's years-long alleged spree. Dookhan processed two or three times the drugs than her peers, Coakley said.
"[She] appeared to be proud of that in that she was thinking she was an effective worker," the state's chief law enforcement official said.
Whatever the motive, Coakley said the state is focused on dealing with the fallout.
"Uppermost is to get this right for individual defendants and make sure this doesn't happen again," Coakley said. "Her actions totally turned the system on its head."
Continue Reading: patch.com
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