Mich. health boss and 4 others charged
THE HEAD of Michigan’s Health Department and four other officials were hit with involuntary manslaughter charges Wednesday over their handling of the Flint water crisis.
Health Department Director Nick Lyon became the highestranking member of Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder’s administration to face charges in the investigation into the lead contamination of Flint’s water.
“Mr. Lyon failed in his responsibilities to protect the health and safety of the citizens of Flint,” Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette said. “The families of Flint have experienced a tragic, tragic health and safety crisis for the past three years.”
Lyon, who was also charged with official misconduct, faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
Lyon and the four others are accused of failing to alert the public about an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in the Flint area that was linked by some experts to poor water quality in 2014-15.
That failure, investigators charged, resulted in the death of at least one person, 85-year-old Robert Skidmore. A total of 12 people died in the outbreak.
Also charged with involuntary manslaughter were Stephen Busch, a water supervisor for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality; Darnell Earley, a state-appointed emergency manager for Flint; Howard Croft, former director of Flint’s public works department, and Liane Shekter-Smith, who was chief of the state’s Office of Drinking Water. All had already been charged with other crimes related to the Flint crisis. Charges were also announced Wednesday against Michigan Chief Medical Executive Eden Wells, who faces charges of obstruction of justice and lying to a police officer. The misconduct charge against Lyon stems from his attempts to obstruct university researchers who were studying Flint River water, officials said. “The health crisis in Flint has created a trust crisis in Michigan government,” Schuette told reporters at a press conference. Schuette, however, signaled that Snyder, who has apologized for his administration’s failings in the Flint crisis, will not be charged in the case. “We only file criminal charges when evidence of probable cause of a crime has been established,” he said. “And we’re not filing charges at this time.”
Snyder, in a statement, expressed support for Lyon and Wells.
“Some state employees were charged over a year ago and have been suspended from work since that time,” the Republican governor said in a statement. “They still have not had their day in court. That is not justice for Flint nor for those who have been charged. Director Lyon and Dr. Wells have been and continue to be instrumental in Flint’s recovery. They have my full faith and confidence, and will remain on duty.”
Jerry Lax, an attorney for Wells, told CBS News his client “vehemently denies the charges.”
Attorneys for the other defendants did not immediately comment.