Felony charges dismissed against seven officials in Flint water crisis

Felony criminal charges tied to the Flint water crisis against seven former government officials have been dismissed by a Genesee Circuit Court judge.

Judge Elizabeth A. Kelly issued the order granting dismissal of the cases on Tuesday, Oct. 4, saying the indictments issued against the officials, including former cabinet members of former Gov. Rick Snyder, are invalid.

The ruling wipes out criminal charges against Nick Lyon, former director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services; Snyder’s former senior adviser Richard Baird; former Flint emergency managers Gerald Ambrose and Darnell Earley; Dr. Eden Wells, the former chief medical executive for MDHHS; Jarrod Agen, former director of communications and former chief of staff for Snyder; and Nancy Peeler, who served as the Early Childhood Health Section manager at MDHHS.

Kelly’s ruling comes after the Michigan Supreme Court held in June that a one-man grand jury used to indict Lyon, Snyder and seven others didn’t have the authority to do so and that those charged with the alleged crimes were entitled to preliminary exams that they did not initially receive.

(via Memeorandum)