Thank you! 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. She was struggling to suppress mental health issues, depression in particular, and she tried to kill herself in high school, according to, I could not imagine being high on liquid methamphetamine and hiding it, day in, day out, Carr told, , adding that her initial curiosity surrounding Farak kicked off the making of the docuseries. They are the number one team in their division, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility at GBH, Transparency in Coverage Cost-Sharing Disclosures. . 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. Together, we can create a more connected and informed world. She was struggling to suppress mental health issues, depression in particular, and she tried to kill herself in high school, according to Rolling Stone. Who is Sonja Farak, the former state drug lab chemist featured in the show? Very little is known about Farak, the former chemist at the states drug lab, since she has kept a very low profile, even more so after her release from prison. She would conduct her work high on meth, cocaine, LSD and crack. 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. In the series, it's explained that Farak loved the energy the meth gave her. Dookhan married Surrendranath Dookhan, a software engineer, in 2004. Its unclear if Farak is still with Lee, as they have both remained out of the public eye since the case. Eight years since disgraced chemist Sonja Farak was arrested for tampering with evidence at a Massachusetts drug lab, the effects of her actions are still unfolding. It appears that Linda has Christianity listed as her religion, and is a Caucasian woman, who's registered as a Democrat. I think I make a strong case and advocate that humans are fallible and she needs to be given a second chance, but thats an unpopular opinion, and I can't control how the public reacts to it.. The civil lawsuit was one of the last tied to prosecutors' disputedhandling of the case against disgraced ex-chemist Sonja Farak, who was convicted in 2014 of ingesting drug samples she was supposed to test at the Amherst state drug lab. Farak was born in San Diego, California and within a year her family moved to Newport, Rhode Island after her Navy father was transferred to the east coast. Thats when she found a home working at a lab in the Morrill Science Building on the UMass Amherst campus. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. It is important to point out that Sonja Farak was considered a typical citizen as she did not fit the stereotype of a drug offender . Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! She Was Born in 1978 & Raised in Portsmouth, Rhode Island Farak was born on January 13, 1978, in Rhode Island to Stanley and Linda Farak. The last contact information provided by her, in response to Penates allegations, placed her residence in Hatfield, Massachusetts. She looked into the western area of the state because it was less expensive and less hectic. 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. By Arun Rath Matt Baskin. 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. "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. Former Massachusetts assistant attorney general Anne Kaczmarek prosecuted Farak in 2013. She was also her class co-valedictorian. During her trial, her defense lawyer Elaine Pourinski said that Farak wasnt taking drugs to party, but instead to control her depression. 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. I could not imagine being high on liquid methamphetamine and hiding it, day in, day out, Carr told Oxygen.com, adding that her initial curiosity surrounding Farak kicked off the making of the docuseries. According to the Daily Hampshire Gazette, Farak graduated with awards and distinctions. Don Treeger/The Republican via AP, Pool, File. Sonja Farak grew up with an interest in sports, and a desire to do well in life. Criminal. Westcott has been in recovery from heroin addiction for nearly nine years. Carr chose to have an actress, Shannon O'Neill, recreate Farak's testimony in front of the grand jury with the help of the unsealed court transcripts. She continued to experience suicidal thoughts, but instead of going through with those thoughts, she started taking the drugs that she would be testing at work. According to a Rolling Stone profile on Farak and the case, the former chemist has not been heard from since her release. It focuses on some strong female characters: Annie Dookhan, an employee of a forensics drug lab who falsified thousands of drug tests, Sonja Farak, who was convicted of stealing drugs from the lab where she worked, and . Before her sentencing, Farak failed a drug test while. Published Jul 1, 2020. Farak apparently still tested each caseunlike Annie Dookhan, another Massachusetts chemist who was arrested five months prior to Farak for fabricating test results. I, think I make a strong case and advocate that humans are fallible and she needs to be given a second chance, but thats an unpopular opinion, and I can't control how the public reacts to it.. Inwardly though, Sonja was struggling. The newest true crime series from Netflix, How to Fix a Drug Scandal, was released on April 1, 2020. Sonja Farak, left, stands during her arraignment at Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown, Mass. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. Episode 2. I felt amazing.. Shes a high school graduate. that she spent a lot of time thinking about Farak and trying to humanize her. In How to Fix a Drug Scandal on Netflix, Ryan is the primary on-camera interviewee. Release year: 2020. She started skimming small amounts of drugs, but soon, she was falsifying evidence and cooking crack cocaine in the evidence lab. In 2008, defendant Ricky Simmons pleaded guilty in the Superior Court to several drug crimes. Kaczmarek had obtained the evidence at issue while she was prosecuting Farak on state charges of tampering with evidence and drug possession. Hints of problems to come were not apparent as a child, at least not from the outside. Farak saw Kogan in 2009 and 2010, and her therapist wrote: She obtains the drugs from her job at the state drug lab, by taking portions of samples that have come in to be tested., Kogan also wrote that Farak told her she had taken methamphetamines at another lab in an old job, but she didnt get much from it. Kogan wrote that after moving to western [Massachusetts] for her job at the state drug lab, [Farak] tried it again and really liked it. 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. She worked there for a year but soon realized she wouldnt make enough money there in the Boston area to buy a house. Is Netflix's 'The Nurse' Based On A True Story? Linda was born on 19th July 1951. Sonja Farak is at the center of Netflix's new true crime docuseries, How To Fix a Drug Scandal. Any uncashed checks will be distributed to Community Legal Aid, Inc., the Transformational Prison Project, and the Tufts Education Reentry Network program after one year. According to a Rolling Stone profile on Farak and the case, the former chemist has not been heard from since her release. Linda was married to Stanley M Farak, who was in the US Navy. [1] The premise revolves around documentary filmmaker Erin Lee Carr following the effects of crime drug lab chemists Sonja Farak and Annie Dookhan and their tampering with . Those are things that cause people, including my clients, to make choices that negatively impact themselves and others. However, it must be said that Linda has maintained a straight backbone about the entire matter. 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. Netflix's latest .css-7qz8rz{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:#f7623b;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:background 0.4s;transition:background 0.4s;background:linear-gradient(#ffffff, #ffffff 50%, #feebe7 50%, #feebe7);-webkit-background-size:100% 200%;background-size:100% 200%;}.css-7qz8rz:hover{color:#000000;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;-webkit-background-position:100% 100%;background-position:100% 100%;}true crime docuseries, How to Fix a Drug Scandal tells the true story surrounding Farak's misbehavior and its consequences. She has since been one of 18 defendants facing a lawsuit by Rolando Penate, who claims they. Farak's findings, and occasional testimony at court about her testing, was used as evidence to convict the person who had been arrested. Since then, she has kept a low profile. Farak used to take drugs that came in the lab for test of authenticity and used as criminal evidence. While I certainly think her longstanding refusal to acknowledge what she was doing comprised the rights of lots of people, I have sympathy for a human being who is struggling with a very difficult addiction, he said. Penate alleged Kaczmarek's actions violated his "Brady rights," which require prosecutors to turn over potentially exculpatory evidence to defense counsel. . She started off doing drugs at work regularly she worked while on meth, liquid amphetamine, LSD, coke and crack. She was sentenced in 2014 to 18 months in prison and 5 years of probation. Sonja Farak (left) leaving the courthouse with her lawyer. Sonja Farak was a chemist for a state crime lab in Massachusetts. 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. Investigators gave that information to Kaczmarek and the state AG's office,according tohearings before thestate board that disciplines attorneys. On top of that, it was also ensured that no analyst would ever work without supervision. The potential impact of Farak's malpractice is still being assessed by the district attorneys from counties that relied on the Amherst lab to handle evidence. Penate's lawsuit, which seeks $5.7 million in damages, is believed to be one of the last remaining suits tied to the scandals; the statute of limitations to file such suits has expired. She currently keeps a very low profile and is dealing with a pending civil case, but How To Fix A Drug Scandal director Erin Lee Carr reveals to Women's Health that Farak is sober now. 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. ( 2020-04-01) How to Fix a Drug Scandal is an American true crime documentary miniseries that was released on Netflix on April 1, 2020. "If she puts her mind to something, she can do it, Amy told the producers of How to Fix a Drug Scandal.. However, from the docuseries, it is clear that she remains in touch with her daughters. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. 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. Kaczmarek argued for qualified immunity after she was sued by Rolando Penate, who spent five years in prison on drug charges in which the evidence in his case was tested by Farak. Kaczmarek argued before the BBO, and in response to Penate's lawsuit, that she was focused on prosecuting Farak and not defendants, like Penate, whose criminal cases were affected by Farak's misconduct. She's no longer in prison, as Farak has served her sentence. She started bringing drugs home, and doing them first thing in the morning. Her reporting focuses on mental health, criminal justice and education. Yes, it is so exciting to put a series out and I think the series is well-reported and researched but its something that happened in the midst of her addiction, and she was incredibly embarrassed about it. She has kept a low profile but has been spotted in court for civil cases related to her own case, including in 2018. In fact, How To Fix a Drug Scandal shows the Faraks at a football game after Sonja serves time for her actions. Farak was born in San Diego, California and within a year her family moved to Newport, Rhode Island after her Navy father was transferred to the east coast. I felt euphoric, Kogan wrote of Farak. After graduating from Portsmouth High School, Farak attended the Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where she got a bachelor of science degree in biochemistry in 2000. The people who were involved in this will finally get justice, Westcott said. I think shes a good person, she said. Farak struggled with mental health throughout her life, the documentary series explains. The state is notifying people via letters, posting flyers and the settlement notice is available online. Faraks therapist, Anna Kogan, wrote in her notes that Farak was worried about Nikki finding out about her addiction as well as the possible legal issues if she were ever caught. This first-time event, brought to you by GBH in partnership with NPR, PBS and stations across the country, is a celebration of all that #PublicMediaGives people everywhere. Rick is a Massachusetts native and graduated from Boston University. The new numbers appear in a report issued by a court-designated "Special Master." Linda Farak is currently in her 60s. Sonja Farak is the subject of Netflix's "How To Fix a Drug Scandal. In 2019, she was seen leaving the Springfield Federal Court but declined to comment on the status of the case. The drug lab technician was sent to prison for 18 months, but was released in 2015. People Also Viewed . Massachusetts officials are notifying more than 30,000 people who will share a $14 million dollar settlement for the impact of the states drug lab scandals a decade ago. As shown in the docuseries, she testified that her childhood was normal and middle class. Carr told Women's Health she was really interested in humanizing Farak's story to fill in the gaps left by New England media. When she got married, it turned out that her wife, too, suffered from her own demons, and their collective anguish made Sonja desperate for a reprieve from this life. 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. Its up to the Board of Bar Overseers about what discipline, if any, should be imposed on the three former prosecutors. An ex-lab chemist Sonja Farak's negligence and misdeeds shocked US when she was arrested in 2013 for stealing and using drugs from the lab where she worked. However, we have been able to figure out that Linda works at the Protective Service Occupations. Am I somebody who took her personhood? Powered by WordPress.com VIP. "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. Penate's suit said Kaczmarek withheld evidence that Farak used drugs at the lab for longer than the Massachusetts attorney general's office first claimed, and that he would not have been imprisoned based on tainted evidence. We have got you covered in that regard. Time to get involved and help public media make an impact. The responsibility of the mess that she created should also rest upon the shoulders of her workplace that allowed her the opportunity to indulge so freely in drugs in the first place. They wrote that Lee, disabled by a stew of mental ailments, [spent] her hours surfing the Web in a haze.. Since the takeover, the budget for all forensic labs across the state has been increased, by around twenty-five per cent. The average amount for each recipient is estimated at $375. Former Massachusetts crime lab chemist Sonja Farak, left, during her arraignment in 2013. Now, you might be curious about where Sonjas mother, Linda, is at the moment. Furthermore, Netflix has created a documentary on her story named 'How to Fix a Drug Scandal'. More than 24,000 convictions in 16,449 cases tainted by former state chemist Sonja Farak have been dismissed in a court case brought by the ACLU of Massachusetts, the Committee of Public Counsel Services (CPCS), and law firm Fick & Marx LLP. The four-episode documentary series centers around the Massachusetts drug lab crisis that came to light a few years ago. In December 2011, after police in Springfield, Mass., had arrested Renaldo Penate for allegedly selling heroin, the drugs from that case were tested at a state drug lab by technician Sonja Farak. Ted Bundy. Her curiosity soon led to a regular drug habit. The disgraced chemist was sentenced to less than two years behind bars in 2014, following her guilty pleas for stealing cocaine from the lab. Though viewers won't hear from Farak directly due to a pending civil case, the series paints a vivid picture of Farak's drug use through dramatization. After weeks of hearings, a "special hearing officer" selected by the board recommended potential sanctions against them all. October 6, 2020 All Things Considered. Farak admitted to being on a list of drugs while working between 2004 and her 2013 arrest. I think that she was so adept at hiding her addiction for so long, her downfall sort of came as a surprise to her and to everybody.". Linda was born on 19th July 1951. A pair of scandals at two state . 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. Criminal. 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. Farak was actually using the drugs, too. It gave me energy. Court records showed that Farak was smocking crack and dropping acid on the same day that she tested the drugs in Penates case. After high school, Sonja went on to major in biochemistry at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in western Massachusetts. She confided in her therapist that all the drugs she was consuming came from her workplace. One thing that How to Fix a Drug Scandal makes clear is that it wasnt all Sonja Faraks fault. Jared Fogle. Harmony's brother Jamison asks about her often, the parents say. If you're on the prowl for . Kaczmarek is one of three former prosecutors whose role in the prosecution of Farak later became the focus of several lawsuits and disciplinary hearings. She eventually landed a job at the Amherst crime lab of the Massachusetts State Police, after graduating from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute. "As the gatekeeper to this evidence, she failed to turn over documents, and she adamantly opposed the requests for access. While Dookhan had tampered with evidence and indulged in dry-labbing, Farak stole from her workplace. When Farak was arrested,former Attorney General Martha Coakley told the public investigators believed Farak tampered with drugs at the lab for only a few months. Because of all that, it's no surprise that Farak was sent to prison in Massachusetts. In high school, Farak became the first girl to play high school football in the state of Rhode Island and made local headlines. Instead, the documentary . The Netflix show highlights not only the arrest and trial of Farak, but also the missteps taken by the state to ignore the extent of the cases affected by Faraks actions. 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. This achievement earned her a full page layout in the local paper and some local TV news coverage. 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. A spokesperson for Attorney General Maura Healey said the AG has long been clear that the conduct that occurred during the previous administration was completely unacceptable and her focus has always been making sure the mistakes of the past never happen again., She implemented a clear policy relating to the disclosure of evidence that is covered at mandatory trainings, created an internal ethics committee, and is committed to continually enhancing the offices integrity practices, the spokesperson added. A drug chemist in. She was sentenced to 18 months behind bars, followed by five years of probation and 500 hours of community services, the same year. I want to be accepted like one of them, Sonja said during the local news segment, included in the docuseries. Join us. Audiences also hear from Farak's mother and sister who have never spoken to the press before. In the aftermath of Farak's arrest, it's been argued that because she was under the influence, all of the cases she tested could be considered to have been wrongfully convicted. 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. Sadly, theirs weren't the greatest crimes in this real-life drama. With the lab's ample drug supply, she was able to sneak the drug each day from a jug that resided in the shared workspace. In Netflixs docuseries we get to hear from her sister, and mother, who give us an insight into Sonjas life, and how her actions impacted them. Kaczmarek failed to disclose information and intentionally misrepresented the evidence she had, and worked to actively shut down inquiry and deflect zealous work by Farak defendants counsel who were doing their jobs by requesting evidence of Faraks misconduct, according to the report. Dookhan was. Because she did so, Plaintiff served more than five years in a state prison.". Furthermore, she said she has been grappling with how the docuseries may have affected Faraks life. (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. Less than a year later, former drug lab technician Sonja Farak would also be arrested for tampering with the drugs she was tasked with testing. I find that everyone needs to be given a second chance.". Email; Facebook Tweet Listen 7:58. Asked what she thought Farak would want the public to know now, Carr says, "I think that she cares about [the idea] that addiction doesn't always look the same on everybody, and I think that she really struggled with letting people down. their crimes under the rug without addressing how their actions affected the defendants who were convicted based on their drug testing. As she put it in a piece for Commonwealth Magazine, the Farak case involved a rare one-two punch of official misconduct. She joined Jim Braude to discuss. 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. Easy access to drugs and the lack of supervision at work allowed Farak to maintain and hide her addiction for several years. I think it's very painful to be Sonja and I regret having to advocate against her, Ryan said in the docuseries. Criminal. At the time of her arrest, she had resided in 37 Laurel Park in Northampton. ", "She isn't on drugs anymore, and I think that that is incredible," Carr, who also directed the true-crime documentaries. The cocaine, found in an unsealed, completed drug-testing kit, tested negativemeaning Farak had seemingly replaced the formerly "positive" drugs with falsified substances. I mean she could have been my client. She said, It was about coping; it certainly wasnt about having fun; I dont think shes had fun in quite a while.. There was something so tragic but also surreal about this story.. In the civil suit, she filed her own answer to the lawsuit and hired the services of attorney Susan Sachs. After years of digging, lawyers found that Farak's illicit use of the drugs she worked with every day had actually become an addiction, and that her drug use had started well before her arresta fact the Massachusetts attorney general's office didn't initially reveal, according to the docuseries.
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