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Coakley: Annie Dookhan Should Get 5-To-7 Years In Prison For Drug Lab Scandal

BOSTON (AP) — Prosecutors will recommend a prison sentence of five to seven years for a Massachusetts chemist charged in a far-reaching scandal at a state drug-testing lab.

Prosecutors from state Attorney General Martha Coakley's office say in a sentencing memo that Annie Dookhan's actions were "selfish and shallow" and caused "egregious damage" to the state's criminal justice system.

The memo was filed Thursday ahead of a court hearing Friday, when Dookhan's lawyer and prosecutors are expected to discuss a possible guilty plea.

Dookhan, of Franklin, is charged with obstruction of justice and other counts for allegedly faking test results and tampering with evidence.

At least 1,100 criminal cases have been dismissed or not prosecuted because of tainted evidence or other fallout from the shutdown of the lab where Dookhan worked.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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