How Will Bedford be Impacted by the Jamaica Plain Drug Lab Scandal?

During an appearance with Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian on Oct. 18 in front of the Bedford Council on Aging, Bedford Police Chief Robert Bongiorno said the Bedford Police Department is currently reviewing approximately 100 cases linked to the Jamaica Plain drug lab scandal. 

Bongiorno said BPD is doing "a comprehensive review, internally, of every drug sample we sent down to the drug lab," from 2003 to 2009. 

The findings of the review of about 100 cases will be sent to the District Attorney's office, according to Bongiorno.

Bongiorno said the effects of the scandal are far reaching, and could affect more than just drug cases.

"This is really far reaching and widespread, the impact could have significant ramifications," Bongiorno said. "It could be just drugs, it could be immigration issues."

Bongiorno said the findings of BPD and other area departments upon reviewing cases affected by the scandal will also bring to light property of those accused that was wrongly taken due to prosecution based on tainted evidence.

"Look at how much money departments have seized as a result of these drug convictions," Bongiorno said. "There's a criminal aspect, but there are also civil aspects."

When asked what Annie Dookhan, the "rogue chemist" at the center of scandal, had for a motive in tainting hundreds of pieces of evidence, Bongiorno said it was a desire she had to be the best at what she did.

"The simple question is, 'why did she do it?'," Bongiorno said. "She didn't do it because she had this glowing thought of putting criminals to jail, she just wanted to be the best employee."