Sermon Illustrations
Lab Tech Convicts Criminals While Breaking the Law
In September 2012, Annie Dookhan, a crime lab technician in Boston was nicknamed the "superwoman" by her coworkers. Officials said that during her nine years in the lab, Dookhan tested more than 60,000 drug samples, which broke down to about 500 samples per month compared to 150 samples per month for a typical chemist. About 11,000 people were put behind bars based in part on her work.
Unfortunately, Dookhan had such a strong desire to put suspects behind bars that she falsified evidence to please the prosecutors. According to the police report, a supervisor said he "never saw Dookhan in front of a microscope." Another chemist said, "Dookhan would submit a cocaine sample, and it would come back heroin or vice versa." She is also alleged to have lied under oath, claiming to have a master's degree in chemistry from the University of Massachusetts.
In very short order authorities released 159 drug case defendants and over 1100 convictions were under review. Then she was put on trial for 27 counts of altering drug evidence and obstructing justice.
Possible Preaching Angles: Hypocrisy; Self-righteousness—Ms. Dookhan was putting people in prison when she herself was breaking the law! When we point the finger at the unrighteousness of others, when we take cover in our moral superiority, we are asking for trouble. and the tax collector who stood afar and cried with downcast eyes, "God, have mercy on me a sinner."