Superior Court Chief Justice Barbara J. Rouse appointed five retired judges
(listed below) to help hear cases stemming from the mishandling of evidence by a
former state drug lab chemist.
Paul A. Chernoff
John C.
Cratsley
Elizabeth B. Donovan
Margaret R.
Hinkle
Wendie I. Gershengorn
The jurists will serve as special magistrates pursuant to Massachusetts
Rule of Criminal Procedure 47 – which permits retired judges to handle
discovery, conduct evidentiary hearings, and make proposed findings and
rulings. The judges will not be allowed to take pleas and are not
considered recall judges – they can continue to work in other
jobs.