Dookhan To Appear in Court Today

Annie Dookhan, the ex-chemist accused of falsifying state drug lab test results during her employment at a state crime lab in Jamaica Plain, will appear before a judge this morning.

Dookhan was indicted by statewide grand jury in December on 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, according to court documents.

Dookhan’s attorney, Nicolas Gordon, originally sought to have two counts of obstruction - five of which involve misleading another person in connection with a criminal proceeding based on testimony in which Dookhan claimed she had a bachelors and masters degree in chemistry - dismissed, but Justice Jeffrey Locke denied the motion May 7. 

All charges against Dookhan are spread over six different Massachusetts counties, but the state attorney general’s office filed a motion to have the charges consolidated to Suffolk Superior Court, which the court granted in early May.

Because the remaining related obstruction charges pertain to the same testimony, motions to dismiss are legally identical thus leading to an automatic denial today, according to court documents and Gordon.

Gordon said he will file discovery motions at today's hearing.