Meningitis outbreak defendants seek access to evidence

Lawyers for two men charged with murder in the 2012 fungal meningitis outbreak that killed 64 people say prosecutors have "overreached" and are demanding they produce evidence to justify the charges before trial.

The Boston Herald (http://bit.ly/2gaR0bl ) reports that attorneys for Barry Cadden and Glenn Chin said in documents filed last week that their clients are being subjected to the federal government's "excessive ambition." Lawyers say there's no evidence they knew their actions could result in death.

Cadden was a co-founder of the now-closed New England Compounding Center. Chin was the Framingham, Massachusetts company's supervisory pharmacist. Prosecutors say the company distributed tainted medications.

The men are facing 25 counts each of second-degree murder. They're scheduled to go on trial together on Jan. 5.

Prosecutors did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Information from: Boston Herald, http://www.bostonherald.com