Unfortunately, Stanley passed away in 2015. The people who were involved in this will finally get justice, Westcott said. Don Treeger/The Republican via AP, Pool, File. After graduating from Portsmouth High School, Farak attended the Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where she got a bachelor of science degree in biochemistry in 2000. Between Farak and Dookhanwho's also featured in How to Fix a Drug Scandal38,000 wrongfully convicted cases have been dismissed, according to the Washington Post. It's Boston local news in one concise, fun and informative email. The strikes left 34 people injured, including three children, and caused widespread damage. As the docuseries shows, she admitted to a therapist in 2009 that she had been struggling with addiction issues since 2005. Before her sentencing, Farak failed a drug test while. Sonja Farak, left, stands during her arraignment at Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown, Mass. Its unclear if Farak is still with Lee, as they have both remained out of the public eye since the case. Who is Sonja Farak, the former state drug lab chemist featured in the show? Easy access to drugs and the lack of supervision at work allowed Farak to maintain and hide her addiction for several years. By some accounts, she is 68 years old. Kaczmarek is one of three former prosecutors whose role in the prosecution of Farak later became the focus of several lawsuits and disciplinary hearings. Anders Behring Breivik. Penate argued the court should follow those findings. In fact, How To Fix a Drug Scandal shows the Faraks at a football game after Sonja serves time for her actions. She was sentenced in 2014 to 18 months in prison and 5 years of probation. Her job was to determine whether a substance someone was caught carrying was really cocaine, meth, or something else. The state is notifying people via letters, posting flyers and the settlement notice is available online. The prosecutors have been tied to the drug lab scandal involving disgraced former state chemist Sonja Farak, who admitted to stealing and using drugs from an Amherst state lab. This documentary mini-series follows the stories of these two drug lab . Ive been struggling with that, Carr said Its very uncomfortable and I dont know what its been like for her.. Court records showed that Farak was smocking crack and dropping acid on the same day that she tested the drugs in Penates case. Sonja Farak in court in 2014.. In January 2017, after years of litigation, this Court established "a new protocol" for cases affected by the egregious misconduct of another former state chemist, Annie Dookhan. Kaczmarek had obtained the evidence at issue while she was prosecuting Farak on state charges of tampering with evidence and drug possession. Sonja Farak, 35, who worked at the Massachusetts State Crime Laboratory in Amherst, was arrested at her Northampton home Saturday night by Massachusetts State Police and is facing two counts of. The lawsuit names Kaczmarek, Farak and three members of the state police. Chemists Sonja Farak and Annie Dookhan tampered with evidence and even used narcotics. Linda was born on 19th July 1951. While Farak claimed that she did in fact test all the drug evidence thrown her way, unlike Dookhan, she did so under highly questionable circumstances. Farak used to take drugs that came in the lab for test of authenticity and used as criminal evidence. Netflix's latest true-crime series, How to Fix a Drug Scandal, dives deep into a shocking Massachusetts scandal, one that started in the humble confines of an underfunded drug testing lab and ended with an entire system in question. Farak apparently still tested each caseunlike Annie Dookhan, another Massachusetts chemist who was arrested five months prior to Farak for fabricating test results. Sonja Farak was released on parole in 2016 and has remained out of the spotlight ever since. Both were convicted of tampering with the drugs they were testing for evidence in criminal cases, resulting in the state Supreme Judicial Court dismissing tens of thousands of compromised criminal cases. She worked there for a year but soon realized she wouldnt make enough money there in the Boston area to buy a house. In How to Fix a Drug Scandal on Netflix, Ryan is the primary on-camera interviewee. After Faraks arrest in 2013, police found pages of mental health worksheets in her car indicating she'd struggled with drug addiction since at least 2011. In four counties alone, Farak personally . Its up to the Board of Bar Overseers about what discipline, if any, should be imposed on the three former prosecutors. In conclusion, Linda seems to be where she always was. ", SCOTUS Now Just Another Congressional Committee, Trump Ramps up Attacks on DeSantis: 'Dropping Like a Rock', Russian Strikes on Pavlohrad Aim to Hamper Ukraine's Counteroffensive, Greg Abbott Criticized for Response to Texas Shooting: 'A New Low', Democrat Sold First Republic Stock, Bought JP Morgan Before Collapse, Conservative Influencers Struggle With Countering Biden's Messaging. She was sentenced to 18 months behind bars, followed by five years of probation and 500 hours of community services, the same year. She remained a football fan, and loved the Patriots. I can guess that it has been very, very painful for her, she said. "Not only did I already put my life on hold for the years that I was using, but now I was ready to be a functional member of society and I was blocked from doing that because of these charges," Westcott said. She was sentenced in January 2014 after she pled guilty to four counts of theft of a controlled substance from an authorized dispensary, four counts of tampering with evidence and two counts of cocaine possession. Former Assistant Attorney Generals Anne Kaczmarek and Kris Foster withheld evidence regarding Sonja Farak's drug abuse and committed fraud in order to minimise the fallout - but unfortunately,. Three prosecutors connected with the Amherst drug lab scandal failed to disclose evidence and engaged in misconduct, including one prosecutor who actively misled others, a scathing report states. The district attorneys in Norfolk, Middlesex, Essex, Suffolk, Hampden and Northwest counties have dismissed charges in about 6,000 cases linked to Farak. "I was personally nervous, and I came away with a deeper level of understanding about her, about the caseand I felt a lot of gratitude that she met me," Carr says. Farak pleaded guilty to four counts of tampering with evidence, four counts of theft of a controlled substance from an authorized dispensary, and two counts of possession of cocaine in 2014. She is not active on any social media platform and has kept her distance from the press. She shone academically as well. While she reached out to her family to let them know that the docuseries was coming out, she hasnt spoken to Farak and doesn't know much about her current life. Penate alleged Kaczmarek's actions violated his "Brady rights," which require prosecutors to turn over potentially exculpatory evidence to defense counsel. The show also delves into the issues of the state in discovering and reporting on the extent of the cases that were affected by Faraks actions. Camila Cabello And Shawn Mendes' Full Relationship, Everything To Know About Rihannas 2nd Pregnancy, Stars Who Got Their Start on Reality TV Shows, These Pregnant Celebrities Have Due Dates In 2023, See Blake Shelton's Throwback Pic With Reba, Meghan Trainor Says She 'Can't Walk' After Sex, Five Dead Giveaways Tell Burglars You're Not Home, 40 Things You Can Buy On Amazon For Under $10. Follow us so you don't miss a thing! While Farak kept her drug use isolated to work only at first, her use still spilled out. In a sweeping decision issued on Thursday, Oct. 11, the Supreme Judicial Court dismissed with prejudice every methamphetamine-related conviction from the nine years that former chemist Sonja Farak worked at the Amherst lab, as well as all cases involving drug tests from that lab from Jan. 1, 2009 through Jan. 18, 2013. The project has brought up questions Carr is still grappling with. Its no big deal, 14-year-old Farak said to the Panama City News Herald. Netflixs How to Fix a Drug Scandal Story: 5 Fast Facts. She said early recovery was hard because finding employment and housing was difficult with a criminal record and having to pay court fees. Farak pleaded guilty in 2014 of stealing drugs and tampering with evidence, setting off a second. According to a Rolling Stone profile on Farak and the case, the former chemist has not been heard from since her release. While Carr doesn't know a lot about Farak's personal life ("She's a very, very private person," she notes), the director does believe she is a "clear cut example" of the power of second chances. Her medical records included notes from Faraks therapist in Amherst, Anna Kogan. Though lawyers from the attorney general's office attempted to suppress evidence demonstrating Sonja's drug use actually went as far back as nine years, a group of defense attorneys committed to helping people who had been convicted based on Farak's testing results were eventually able to get their hands on evidence that would ultimately help dismiss more than 35,000 convictions. Farak. She cried as she was sentenced, I think it's very painful to be Sonja and I regret having to advocate against her, Ryan, said in the docuseries. Listen Live: Classic and Contemporary Celtic, Listen Live: Cape, Coast and Islands NPR Station, Greenway Food Truck Festival promises diverse flavors in the heart of Boston, New heads of Mass Democrats and Mass GOP spar on abortion, The drag show during North Brookfield's Pride celebration will go on, The guy who ate a $120,000 banana in an art museum says he was just hungry, Basic Black: Castle of Our Skins celebrates Black artistry through chamber music. Two Massachusetts drug-testing laboratory technicians are caught tampering with and falsifying drug evidence, and prosecutors are reluctant to disclose the full extent of their criminal behavior. GBH News brings you the stories, local voices, and big ideas that shape our world. (Courtesy Shawn Musgrave) For the first time ever, the board that disciplines attorneys is recommending a former Massachusetts prosecutor lose her law license for failing to turn over evidence that might have exonerated defendants. The difference? She was caught when it was discovered she was high on LSD while testing samples from. There was something so tragic but also surreal about this story., She suffered from substance misuse disorder and she was in the worst kind of place to try to combat that, defense attorney Luke Ryan told, . "Annie Dookhan and Sonja Farak's crimes undermined the integrity of our justice system and impacted thousands of lives," Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said when the settlement was. Criminal. She looked into the western area of the state because it was less expensive and less hectic. The fees eligible for reimbursement include probation fees, victim witness fees, GPS monitoring costs and driver's license reinstatement fees. Oxygen.com was not able to reach Farak for comment. As a defense attorney, he discusses the importance . Time to get involved and help public media make an impact. You have been subscribed to WBUR Today. We couldn't do it without you. I think shes a good person, she said. This is the story of Farak's drug-induced wrongdoings, and it's the story of the Massachusetts Attorney General's office apparently turning a blind eye on those wrongfully convicted because of Farak's mistakes. Apart from the late Stanley Farak, it appears that Amy and Sonja make up the rest of Lindas family. She's no longer in prison, as Farak has served her sentence. Furthermore, she said she has been grappling with how the docuseries may have affected Faraks life. She started bringing drugs home, and doing them first thing in the morning. Farak was well (Long, 2021) educated, participated in sports, was married, owned a home, did not have a criminal record, and held a respectable job . Since the takeover, the budget for all forensic labs across the state has been increased, by around twenty-five per cent. You can try, Judge dismisses 'qualified immunity' claim in suit against ex-prosecutor in drug lab scandal, Judge declines mass dismissal of cases from tainted drug lab, New Evidence May Implicate Additional Chemists In Statewide Drug Lab Scandal. Despite her status as a free woman (who has seemingly disappeared from the public eye), Farak's wrongdoings continue to make waves in the Massachusetts courts. . Robertson rejected Kaczmarek's claims she should not be held responsible for the turning over of exculpatory evidence because she was not part of the "prosecution team" in Penate's case. According to an Attorney General Offices report, Farak attended Temple University in Philadelphia for graduate school, which is where she became a recreational drug user. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. They wrote that Lee, disabled by a stew of mental ailments, [spent] her hours surfing the Web in a haze.. Inwardly though, Sonja was struggling. We were unable to subscribe you to WBUR Today. I find that everyone needs to be given a second chance.". She has kept a low profile but has been spotted in court for civil cases related to her own case, including in 2018. Email; Facebook Tweet Listen 7:58. Cohen and Felson's (Long, 2021) However, the Netflix docuseries, How To Fix a Drug Scandal, shows us Sonjas moment of weakness, which led her to experiment with the drugs in evidence. General drug lab cases information. Former Massachusetts crime lab chemist Sonja Farak, left, during her arraignment in 2013. that she spent a lot of time thinking about Farak and trying to humanize her. Farak, a chemist, was later convicted of stealing drugs from the state lab in Amherst. The lax security and regulations of the place and the negligent supervision of the employees and the stock of standards are the reasons why Farak was encouraged to do what she did. Instead, the documentary . Sonja Farak was a chemist for a state crime lab in Massachusetts. She said, It was about coping; it certainly wasnt about having fun; I dont think shes had fun in quite a while.. Episode 1. . Sonja Farak is a former state lab chemist of Masachuttes, America. 1 Indeed, this Court's decisions concerning the Hinton drug lab scandal compel that remedy. Faraks mishandling of evidence halted in 2013 when she was approached by a state police trooper after some of her drug samples were discovered missing. She said it gave me the desired effects. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. READ NEXT: Sonja Farak: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Those are things that cause people, including my clients, to make choices that negatively impact themselves and others. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, on Monday, heard from attorneys representing prosecutors from the attorney general's office over their handling of the 2013 prosecution and arrest of drug. However, it must be said that Linda has maintained a straight backbone about the entire matter. She graduated with high distinction. DA Ryan on Farak Investigation. She was sentenced to 18 months behind bars, followed by five years of probation and 500 hours of community services, the same year. Sonja Farak during her arraignment at Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown in 2013. In fact, she was the first girl in the state of Rhode Island to play high school football in a public school system. Shes a high school graduate. Towards the end of the docuseries, we see her coming to terms with Sonjas indiscretions. "It was Defendant who had the responsibility within the AGO [attorney general's office] to see that the Farak investigation materials were disseminated to the DAOs [district attorneys' offices]," Robertson wrote, adding there is no evidence anyone from the attorney general's office sent the potentially exculpatory evidence to those offices.". If you're on the prowl for . Farak's findings, and occasional testimony at court about her testing, was used as evidence to convict the person who had been arrested. Faraks wife had her own mental health problems, and according to Rolling Stone, Farak would have conflict with her wife every night at home. It gave me energy. Rolling Stone covered both drug lab scandals in 2018 and uncovered that Farak had suffered from depression for many years. On top of that, it was also ensured that no analyst would ever work without supervision. The civil lawsuit was one of the last tied to prosecutors' disputed handling of the case against disgraced ex-chemist Sonja Farak, who was convicted in 2014 of ingesting drug samples she was. Lets find out. Stream GBH's Award-Winning Content For Parents And Children. Its almost as if somebody would take the worst part of my life and show it to millions of people.. By some accounts, she is 68 years old. In four one-hour episodes, director Erin Lee Carr explores the case of Sonja Farak, a chemist at the state drug lab in Amherst, Massachusetts. Furthermore, Netflix has created a documentary on her story named 'How to Fix a Drug Scandal'. Former Massachusetts assistant attorney general Anne Kaczmarek prosecuted Farak in 2013. In 2019, she was seen leaving the Springfield Federal Court but declined to comment on the status of the case. Months before Faraks misconduct came to light in 2013, another lab technician named Annie Dookhan was arrested in 2012 after it became apparent that she wasnt even testing the drug evidence; rather, she just marked results as positive so that she could impress her colleagues with her speed and efficiency. Farak is one of two Massachusetts drug lab technicians who were caught tainting evidence that was used to convict thousands of defendants on drug charges. They are the number one team in their division, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility at GBH, Transparency in Coverage Cost-Sharing Disclosures. The settlement is the result of a class action lawsuit seeking to reimburse those who had their cases dismissed. If Farak found a substance was a true drug, the person it was confiscated from could be convicted of a substance-related crime. Though Farak was arrested in 2013 and sentenced to jail in 2014, the findings from the state's investigation into the scope of her misconduct were just released Tuesday. .
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