LIVINGSTON COUNTY, Mich. – Two men responsible for the 2012 fungal meningitis outbreak that killed 15 people in Livingston County are facing new charges in Michigan.
Barry Cadden, the founder of the compounding pharmacy at the center of the outbreak, and pharmacist Glenn Chin, each face 11 counts of second-degree murder.
"I've been through hell and back, and so have a lot of people, not just me," said Penny Laperriere, whose husband, Lyn, died after receiving a contaminated steroid injection from the Michigan Pain Clinic. "It was shocking because the doctors said he would be going home in two days. So I wasn't worried about him dying."
Lyn Laperriere, an avid bowler, died suddenly of fungal meningitis. For years he had received injections for spinal pain and had never had a reaction.
But the last shot he got in 2012 was from a new clinic that got its medication from the New England Compounding Center.
Cadden and Chin are accused of knowingly distributing tainted drugs.
"They knew it," Laperriere said. "The test results came back that they were contaminated and they sold them anyway. They have no conscience."
Federal officials said their actions led to hundreds of patients contracting fungal meningitis.
Cadden and Chin were acquitted of murder charges in Boston, and now Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel will try them in Livingston County.
"I want to be there and look at Barry and say, 'I'm here for Lyn,'" Laperriere said.