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Government Chemist Tampered With 40,000 Cases

filmingcops.com

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Re: Government Chemist Tampered With 40,000 Cases

#21

Post by sigstoat »

seivan wrote: post #7
moocowduckquack wrote: post #3

there's a second employee at the same place now caught up in it, with possibly up to 190,000 cases now needing review - http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/11/26/chemist-related-...

Oh this is rich. 'she took some chemistry classes in college but her degree is actually in sociology,' Hot diggittiy. Edit: Goes to prove that a _GOOD_ defense lawyer would have dig that up during cross exam. (if that is a thing)

> Edit: Goes to prove that a _GOOD_ defense lawyer would have dig that up during cross exam. (if that is a thing)

sure, the defense lawyer can ask questions, but what series of questions do you think they could've asked that would've done anything here?

they would've needed to perform pre-trial investigations of the lady (such as the state police performed) to discover this. which isn't out of the question, but isn't very likely to be worth it for the defendants. (cost high, likelihood of useful information low.)

Re: Government Chemist Tampered With 40,000 Cases

#22

Post by ryanhuff »

whiddershins wrote: post #11

How hard would it have been to insert a random cross check in to the system? So every 300 tests, the sample is retested by another lab? There's no motivation or incentive whatsoever to structure the process to decrease convictions, that is one of the unspoken but defining features of our legal system. There is an ideal that two sides are arguing something in a neutral setting, but one side is the government, and lite…

Or even inject some known negatives and see if they turn out positive. Seems pretty simple.

Re: Government Chemist Tampered With 40,000 Cases

#23

Post by DanBC »

This kind of case is fascinating.

The woman wasn't evil. But her actions really are.

It's very easy, too easy, to say that she is evil because what she did was so bad. But that's lazy, and it misses the interesting stuff. How do people get caught up in performing such horrendous acts?

There's a bunch of cognitive stuff going on, and some subtle manipulation. I suspect that something similar is how we end up with app stores full of "free" games that are full of micro-payments and ads. (Instead of the Doom model of a few free levels and a paid for full version).

Re: Government Chemist Tampered With 40,000 Cases

#24

Post by sigstoat »

jjoonathan wrote: post #18
ics wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have mixed feelings about jail terms in general, but I agree– this is precisely the sort of crime I would imagine carrying a life sentence. The number of cases affected & lives disrupted here is hardly fathomable.

Me too re: jail times, but since being "hard on crime" is the politically convenient position for politicians, why not be hard on the right kinds of crime? What's worse is that the system didn't detect the problem for such a long time. Why isn't laboratory analysis blinded? We already spend truckloads of money funding an elaborate appeals process, why isn't there a check on lab analysis? With the drug industry implod…

> With the drug industry imploding, chemists (real chemists) are struggling to find work, so they could even call it a jobs program if need be.

there is a big difference between working as a chemist, and working as a forensic chemist. getting drug into trials and treated like shit by both sides in the case isn't any fun, and it's hard to find people who'll actually stick with it.

Re: Government Chemist Tampered With 40,000 Cases

#25

Post by TDL »

vph wrote: post #5

What about the prosecutors who have been asking her to tamper with evidence? Are they going to jail?

The investigation is expanding. Another lab worker is now being investigated and I read something about some of the prosecutors behavior be questioned. It seems as though this is the beginning not the end.

Re: Government Chemist Tampered With 40,000 Cases

#26

Post by thenmar »

msandford wrote: post #20
sentenza wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is the punishment for helping somebody to hold a person captive in their basement? The sentence should be that times sixhundred (how many wrongful convictions she caused, number might rise yet).

Honestly I think this is a situation where the death penalty is entirely appropriate. I don't like the idea of more suffering when there is already plenty to go around here, but I can't see how you can call it "justice" if she is allowed to live. An example must be set that this kind of thing is so repugnant to civilized societies that it WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. EDIT: The scale of her crimes is thousands of person-yea…

For someone supposedly concerned about human life, you seem awfully eager to end one.

Re: Government Chemist Tampered With 40,000 Cases

#27

Post by seivan »

sigstoat wrote: post #21
seivan wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh this is rich. 'she took some chemistry classes in college but her degree is actually in sociology,' Hot diggittiy. Edit: Goes to prove that a _GOOD_ defense lawyer would have dig that up during cross exam. (if that is a thing)

> Edit: Goes to prove that a _GOOD_ defense lawyer would have dig that up during cross exam. (if that is a thing) sure, the defense lawyer can ask questions, but what series of questions do you think they could've asked that would've done anything here? they would've needed to perform pre-trial investigations of the lady (such as the state police performed) to discover this. which isn't out of the question, but isn't…

Hmm not sure, but well, wouldn't a simple question of "where did your degree in chemistry come from" while the person in question is under OAuth?

EDIT: Oath. I've been working too much recently.

Re: Government Chemist Tampered With 40,000 Cases

#29

Post by lolnope »

thenmar wrote: post #26
msandford wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Honestly I think this is a situation where the death penalty is entirely appropriate. I don't like the idea of more suffering when there is already plenty to go around here, but I can't see how you can call it "justice" if she is allowed to live. An example must be set that this kind of thing is so repugnant to civilized societies that it WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. EDIT: The scale of her crimes is thousands of person-yea…

For someone supposedly concerned about human life, you seem awfully eager to end one.

There's a distinction made between individuals that follow society's rules and those that break them on a massive scale for financial gain (or other reasons).

Re: Government Chemist Tampered With 40,000 Cases

#30

Post by eps »

alexeisadeski3 wrote: post #4

Those convicted should be released pending retrial immediately.

Judging by the article she wasn't fabricating evidence, but rather she was "strengthening" what she was given. All her cases clealry need to be re-evaluated, but unconditionally releasing everyone convicted is hardly a sensible option.
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