ACLU Wants Ruling on Drug Lab Case

The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts wants the sentences of defendants put on hold in drug cases in which evidence was handled by a an ex-state drug lab chemist accused of falsifying the results in thousands of state cases.

The ACLU has asked the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to rule that defendants whose cases were handled by Annie Doohan have their sentences held while they await new trials, according to ABC News. 

Dookhan, who worked at the Hinton state drug lab in Jamaica Plain, faces 27 charges, including 17 counts of obstruction of justice, eight counts of tampering with evidence, perjury and falsely pretending to hold a degree from a college or university. She has pleaded not guilty at each of six arraignments around the state.

Several people who have been convicted of drug crimes in cases in which Dookhan handled the evience have been released, and many have reoffended.

A decision whether to refer the case to the court is pending, according to ABC news.