BOSTON (AP) -- A disgraced former Massachusetts sate chemist may have tainted more prosecutions than officials had first estimated, an independent reviewer of narcotics cases said Tuesday.
More than 40,000 defendants may have been affected by the chemist's mishandling of samples, said David Meier, an attorney appointed by the Massachusetts governor to review prosecutions connected to the state lab scandal.
Meier, who led a file-by-file review of narcotics cases in which Annie Dookhan tested samples, said he'll meet with prosecutors, defense lawyers and judges to discuss how to best use the findings.
Authorities had previously estimated publicly that Dookhan had tested samples involving about 34,000 defendants.
They have alleged that Dookhan tampered with evidence and faked results during her nine years at the now-closed Boston lab. The 35-year-old Franklin resident has pleaded not guilty to a 27-count indictment related to her alleged wrongdoing in cases stemming from six counties.
Gov. Deval Patrick thanked Meier for his work to try to help resolve the legal morass.
"Now, with this detailed information, the many participants in the criminal justice system can do the work of getting each individual case right," Patrick said in a statement Tuesday.
Officials also said Tuesday that the state had spent $7.6 million to date in dealing with the crisis. The Legislature has authorized up to $30 million to cover costs incurred by the court system, prosecutors, public defenders and other state agencies.