Prosecutors Submit Shortened List Of Dookhan Convictions They Want Upheld

Twenty-three thousand cases potentially tainted by former state chemist Annie Dookhan could be dismissed.

During the nine years Dookhan worked for the state, she falsified tens of thousands of drug tests — either making up results for samples she never tested or manipulating the samples in order to ensure they tested positive for drugs. Dookhan served three years in prison and was released on parole last year.

But the fallout continues, as prosecutors across Massachusetts have to submit their list of cases to dismiss, and which cases they want to keep the convictions.

Among them, the Essex County District Attorney's office says they want to re-prosecute less than 200 cases and dismiss around 4,000. Bristol County has asked to dismiss more than 1,500 cases and will seek to maintain convictions in 112 cases. Cape and the Islands District Attorney Michael O'Keefe is asking to dismiss 1,067 cases and to re-prosecute one case. He says 71 cases have already been readjudicated.

Deborah Becker, WBUR reporter. She tweets @wburdebbecker.

Nancy Gertner, WBUR legal analyst and retired federal judge. Harvard Law School professor. She tweets @ngertner.

Brian Kelly, former federal prosecutor and a partner at Nixon Peabody, which tweets @nixonpeabodyllp.