Testimony continues today in the preliminary hearing for two men charged in the deaths of 11 Livingston County residents.

In court Wednesday, witnesses from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration testified about contaminated steroids discovered at Michigan Pain Specialists in Genoa Township that were traced back to the New England Compounding Center, a Massachusetts drug compounding company which was partly owned by Barry Cadden, and where Glenn Chin worked as a pharmacist. They were both charged last year by the Michigan Attorney General’s Office with second degree murder in the deaths.

The witnesses told of unsanitary conditions discovered at the NECC facility, including leaking water and dirty, sticky mats at the entrance to the lab’s clean room with grass on them. Grass, it was explained, is very conducive to the growth of fungus. It was also noted that an unprotected pass-through opening existed from the clean room.

53rd District Court Judge Shauna Murphy is conducting the hearing, which will determine if there is enough evidence to send the case to trial. (JK)