New England Compounding Center defendants to face trial on murder charges
The president and chief pharmacist of the New England Compounding Center (NECC) will stand trial for the murder of 11 Livingston County residents who died as the result of contaminated steroid injections made at the NECC.
Livingston County District Court Judge Shauna Murphy determined yesterday that there was sufficient evidence presented at the preliminary examination of Barry Cadden, 53, of Wrentham, Massachusetts, and Glenn Chin, 52, of Canton, Massachusetts, to send them to the Livingston County Circuit Court to stand trial for 11 counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of Donna Kruzich, Paula Brent, Lyn Laperriere, Mary Plettle, Gayle Gibson, Patricia Malafouris, Emma Todd, Jennie Barth, Ruth Madouse, and Karina Baxter.
The preliminary examination consisted of 16 witnesses including former employees of the NECC as well as more than 80 exhibits being admitted into evidence.
The evidence admitted at the hearing demonstrated that the victims were given epidural injections of the steroid methylprednisolone, which was compounded at the NECC in Massachusetts. The steroid was contaminated and resulted in each victim being injected with fungal meningitis, which led to their deaths.
Prosecutors from Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office argued that the defendants completely disregarded the required sterility procedures in the compounding of sterile medications and engaged in the creation of fraudulent cleaning records and falsified scientific testing results.
“Putting profits ahead of concern for patient safety can have disastrous and tragic results,” said Nessel. “We look forward to the next step in the pursuit of justice for these victims and their families.”
Chin and Cadden are currently serving prison sentences in Pennsylvania for convictions in federal court for conduct related to the operation of the NECC. A court date in Michigan has not yet been set.
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