Written by Tanya Terry, with photo by Tanya Terry
On Thursday March 16, The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Former Governor Rick Snyder, who was indicted on two misdemeanor charges of willful neglect of duty for his role in the Flint Water scandal. The charges are punishable by up to one year behind bars and/or a $1,000 fine.
The recent decision makes a second setback for state prosecutors.
Snyder was governor in 2014 when Flint, under state management, began using water from the Flint River-with no corrosion control to keep dangerous lead from leaching from the city’s older pipes-as a water source for city residents.
Some former Flint residents lost their lives due to Legionnaires’ disease! Snyder was blamed for some of these deaths.
However, in June 2022, the state Supreme Court unanimously said a one-judge grand jury can’t issue indictments.
Then, on March 16, the latest ruling cited a procedural error because prosecutors appealed directly to the Court of Appeals, without seeking the court’s permission first. State lawyers said they will correct the error and that they will be looking at refiling.
As of March 16, charges have been dismissed against Snyder and seven others for their roles in the Flint Water Crisis.
