Criminal Blunders Force Courtwide Reappraisal in Massachusetts

Massachusetts will reconsider thousands of cases tainted by faulty breathalyzers, dishonest police officers, and even a racist attorney as the courts fight to rebuild trust after more than 20,000 drug cases were corrupted by scandal.

The extensive second look by the country’s oldest appeals court is a stark departure in a system where police sought shortcuts like falsifying records or skipping lengthy drug testing to speed up prosecutions, putting the onus on those who were wrongfully convicted to prove that the state violated their rights, case-by-case. The work comes at a time the public increasingly doubts whether the system provides ...