Tampered Drug Test Cases Still Costing the State Millions

From the 4/9/21 MA Lawyers Weekly, more good news regarding our tax dollars:

"The Attorney General's Office is defending the nearly $1 million in legal fees spent on the defense of three former assistant AGs in their disciplinary proceedings in front of the Board of Bar Overseers, noting that the alleged misconduct of former AAGs John C. Verner, Kris C. Foster and Anne K. Kaczmarek occurred while they were carrying out their official duties.

That alleged misconduct had the effect of keeping evidence related to disgraced former state drug lab chemist Sonja Farak away from defense attorneys in criminal cases.

The AG's Office says the office itself is conflicted out of using staff attorneys to represent Verner, Foster and Kaczmarek.

But whether public employees can be indemnified for legal fees incurred while defending themselves against ethics complaints may be somewhat unsettled."

As the AG's office cannot represent them, it is paying private defense attorneys to. This is over and above the money squandered on prosecutions thrown out because of the tainted drug tests, and the subsequent hearings dismissing those charges and reversing the convictions on tainted evidence.