Cadden, Chin Arrive in Michigan

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

Two former pharmacists facing multiple second degree murder charges are in custody in Livingston County Michigan where they will be present for two days of pre-trial hearings next week in Livingston District Court.
Kelly Rossman-McKinney, spokeswoman for Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, said Barry J. Cadden and Glenn Chin arrived in Michigan Wednesday night. They were transported from separate federal prisons in Pennsylvania. It marks their second appearance on the Michigan murder charges.
Cadden is serving a nine year federal sentence following his conviction on racketeering, conspiracy and mail fraud charges. Chin is serving an eight year sentence for his conviction of the same crimes.
Cadden was a part owner and president of the New England Compounding Center, the drug firm blamed for a deadly 2012 fungal meningitis outbreak.
Chin was a supervising pharmacist overseeing the clean room where fungus laden drugs were prepared. That drug, methylprednisolone acetate, was injected into the spines and joints of unsuspecting patients seeking relief from chronic pain.
The two also were charged with second degree murder in the federal case but jurors declined to convict them on those charges.
The hearings on Thursday and Friday of next week (Nov. 14 & 15) will be a "preliminary examination" in which prosecutors will present witnesses to substantiate the charges. Michigan witnesses are scheduled to appear next week while out-of-state witnesses will appear at a subsequent hearing in December.
The two were charged in the deaths of Donna Kruzich; Paula Brent; Lyn Laperriere; Sally Roe; Mary Plettl; Gayle Gibson; Patricia Malafouris; Emma Todd; Jennie Barth; Ruth Madouse and Karine Baxter.
Earlier this week a federal appeals court in Boston, Mass. heard arguments on appeals and cross appeals on the federal charges on which Cadden and Chin were convicted. The three judge panel took the matter under advisement following a more than two hour hearing.
Federal prosecutors sought to increase the penalties imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns while defense attorneys challenged the validity of some of the charges. Neither defendant was in attendance.
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