Over 21,000 convictions dropped after Massachusetts drug lab scandal

BOSTON, Mass. – A massive drug lab scandal in seven Massachusetts counties resulted in the dismissal of more than 21,000 low-level drug cases.

The cases were all connected to disgraced chemist Annie Dookhan. She admitted to tampering with evidence and forging test results, then lying about it. She served three years in prison before being released last year.

Before the scandal, Dookhan was the one of the most prolific analysts at William A. Hinton State Laboratory Institute in Boston. However, exactly what she did remains a mystery, but investigators say it appears she cut corners or simply made things up.

All the convictions in which Dookhan had a hand were brought before prosecutors who dropped all but 320 cases–down from 21,907.