A Massachusetts pharmacist has pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter in connection with the deaths of 11 individuals in Michigan due to tainted steroids that led to a national meningitis outbreak in 2012. The pharmacist, aged 56, will be sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison in October, with credit for a longer federal sentence for separate crimes.
The pharmacist's defense attorney stated that further incarceration should not be imposed after the current federal sentence, avoiding a lengthy trial for the court and the people of Michigan. The pharmacist's boss, who also pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter, had second-degree murder charges dropped.
The New England Compounding Center in Massachusetts distributed contaminated steroids to clinics nationwide, resulting in over 700 individuals in 20 states falling ill with fungal meningitis or other severe conditions, with dozens losing their lives.
The pharmacist is currently serving a federal sentence for racketeering, fraud, and other offenses related to the outbreak. His boss, who received a 10-year state sentence, is serving it concurrently with a 14 1/2-year federal sentence.
While most families affected by the outbreak endorsed the plea deals, some, like Michael Kruzich, expressed disagreement, desiring lengthier sentences for the defendants. Kruzich's mother passed away in 2012 after receiving an injection for back pain.
State prosecutors defended the plea deals, citing the passage of time and the unavailability of key witnesses from the federal case. The outcome has left some feeling that justice was not fully served in this tragic case.
