Jury set to deliberate in meningitis outbreak that killed 64

BOSTON – A federal judge says he will allow a jury to deliberate in the case against a former top executive at a Massachusetts compounding pharmacy blamed for a national meningitis outbreak in 2012 that killed 64 people.

The Boston Globe reports (http://bit.ly/2mm3hK9 ) that jurors are slated to start deliberating on Wednesday in the trial of Barry Cadden.

Cadden is charged with 25 counts of second-degree murder and other offences under federal racketeering laws. He is the co-founder and former head pharmacist of New England Compounding Center in Framingham.

Prosecutors allege that the centre used expired ingredients and failed to follow industry cleanliness standards, resulting in tainted steroid injections.

Cadden’s lawyers argued Monday that no “reasonable jury” could convict Cadden based on the evidence that was introduced in the trial.

___

Information from: The Boston Globe, http://www.bostonglobe.com