Committee for Public Counsel Services, et al. v. Attorney General of Massachusetts, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-051-18)
SUFFOLK, ss.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT
FOR SUFFOLK COUNTY
No. SJ-2017-347
COMMITTEE FOR PUBLIC COUNSEL SERVICES, HAMPDEN COUNTY LAWYERS FOR
JUSTICE, INC., HERSCHELLE REAVES, and NICOLE WESTCOTT
vs.
ATTORNEY GENERAL of MASSACHUSETTS, DISTRICT ATTORNEY for BERKSHIRE
COUNTY, DISTRICT ATTORNEY for BRISTOL COUNTY, DISTRICT ATTORNEY for the
CAPE and ISLANDS, DISTRICT ATTORNEY for ESSEX COUNTY, DISTRICT ATTORNEY
for HAMPDEN COUNTY, DISTRICT ATTORNEY for MIDDLESEX COUNTY, DISTRICT
ATTORNEY for NORFOLK COUNTY, DISTRICT ATTORNEY for the NORTHWESTERN
DISTRICT, DISTRICT ATTORNEY for PLYMOUTH COUNTY, DISTRICT ATTORNEY for
SUFFOLK COUNTY, and DISTRICT ATTORNEY for WORCESTER COUNTY
DECLARATORY JUDGMENT
This matter came before the court, Gaziano, J., on a petition pursuant to G L. c. 211, § 3,
seeking relief for defendants affected by the misconduct of state chemist Sonja Farak. As an
initial matter, the respondents — the Attorney General and the offices of the Massachusetts
District Attorneys — have agreed to vacate certain convictions obtained using drug certificates
signed by Sonja Farak. The respondents have filed with the court, and served on the petitioners,
formatted interim lists identifying the defendants and their convictions, delinquency or youthful
offender adjudications, or other adverse dispositions that the respondents agree should be vacated
and dismissed with prejudice. The convictions, adjudications, or other dispositions of those
cases are addressed in this orcler. Final lists are to be provided by the respondents and filed with
this court no later than April 30, 2018. Those lists may result in additional dismissals.
Accordingly, it is ORDERED that the convictions of drug offenses under G. L. 94C that
have been so identified by the respondents in the interim lists filed with this court on or before
March 30,2018, shall be and are hereby VACATED AND DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE,
and any outstanding warrants associated with those convictions are recalled.
The clerk shall provide copies of the formatted lists to the Judicial Information Services
Department of the trial comi fmihwith in order to effectuate the dismissals.
Entered: April 5, 2018
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