Glenn Chin, the pharmacist convicted for his role in the 2012 meningitis outbreak that killed 76 people and sickened hundreds more, has been sentenced to 8 years in prison. Even though this may sound like a long time, Chin should consider himself lucky. He was being prosecuted for mail fraud, racketeering, and second-degree murder.
Not-So-Clean Clean Rooms
The mold-tainted steroid injections that caused meningitis were produced by the New England Compounding Center, and Chin ran the “clean rooms” where the drugs were made. During his trial, prosecutors portrayed Chin as an employee “who cut corners and ignored warning signs of unsafe production methods to boost production and profits.”
Why No Murder Conviction?
The effects of Chin’s actions may seem to warrant a murder conviction, but not everyone that causes a death will be convicted of murder. In Chin’s case, prosecutors decided to charge him with second-degree murder, which is generally defined as either: (1) an intentional killing that’s not premeditated or committed in a reasonable “heat of passion” moment, or (2) a killing caused by dangerous conduct and the offender’s obvious lack of concern for human life.
Related Resources:
- Pharmacist tied to U.S. meningitis outbreak gets eight years in prison (Reuters)
- Sentencing (FindLaw’s Learn About the Law)
- Ex-Cop Who Shot and Killed Walter Scott Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison (FindLaw’s Blotter)
- Death Penalty for NYC Truck Attack Suspect? (FindLaw’s Blotter)
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