A Massachusetts state prison inmate has pleaded innocent to charges related to a hazardous materials scare at the Hall of Justice in Springfield. WAMC”s Paul Tuthill reports.
Two envelopes containing a white powder were mailed to the office of a judge and to the Hampden County District Attorney last fall. When a staffer opened one, it triggered a full scale hazardous materials response by authorities. The courthouse was shut down for four hours. It was later determined the envelopes contained a soap powder. Investigators traced the accompanying letters to Derek Moldanado,a former Springfield resident, who is in prison for assault and battery with a firearm. Prosecutors allege he perpetrated the hoax in hopes of being transferred to a federal prison…
