Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette announces charges of involuntary manslaughter Flint Water Crisis.

Wednesday, June 14, 2017, State Attorney General Bill Schuette issued a press release stating that he has charged five individuals with involuntary manslaughter in connection to their alleged failure to act in the Flint Water Crisis. Involuntary manslaughter carries up to a 15 year prison sentence and/or a $7,500 fine.

 According to the Wednesday morning press release from Schuette's office, "Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette today announced that he has charged Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Nick Lyon, former Flint Emergency Manager Darnell Early, former City of Flint Water Department Manager Howard Croft, as well as Michigan Department of Environmental Quality's Drinking Water Chief Liane Shekter-Smith and Water Supervisor Stephen Busch with involuntary manslaughter related to their alleged failure to act in the Flint Water Crisis.

According to the press release, Schuette has also charged Nick Lyon with Misconduct in Office, along with the manslaughter charge.

Further, Eden Wells, who is MDHHS Chief Medical Executive, has been charged with lying to a peace officer and obstruction of justice. This is related to an alleged effort to stop investigation into the health crisis in Flint, as well as an attempt to mislead investigators as far as her actions, according to the press release.

As stated in Wednesday's press release from Schuette, many people died of Legionnaire's disease in the Flint area following the city's switch from Detroit water to water from the Flint River. According to the press release, "All the defendants charged with involuntary manslaughter are charged in relation to the death of Robert Skidmore, 85, of Mt Morris, Michigan. Skidmore died of Legionnaires' disease after many others had been diagnosed with the illness, yet no public outbreak had been issued. The charges allege failure to notify and lack of action to stop the outbreak allowed the disease to continue its spread through Flint's water system."

I'd like to add that as Flint is my hometown and is where I grew up, I am full of gratitude and appreciation for Michigan State Attorney General Bill Schuette and his staff for bringing charges against these five individuals for their alleged failure to act in the Flint Water Crisis.

Jeff Brown
Editor/Publisher
Purple Walrus Press.

Downtown Flint Summer 2016. Photo Purple Walrus Press.