Snyder team: No Flint residents should be water case jurors

DETROIT >> Lawyers for former Gov. Rick Snyder believe Flint residents have possible conflicts and can’t serve as judges or jurors in his criminal case related to lead in the city’s drinking water.

Under the prosecutor’s theory, all residents would be victims of Snyder’s alleged crimes, disqualifying them from serving on his jury in 67th District Court, attorneys said.

Judge William Crawford II and other judges “should likely be recused” if they live in Flint and could get a share of a $641 million settlement in a separate civil lawsuit, Snyder’s legal team said in a letter Monday.

Crawford wanted opinions before meeting with attorneys Tuesday.

Snyder is charged with two misdemeanor counts of willful neglect of duty. Snyder-appointed emergency managers switched Flint’s water supply to the Flint River in 2014, but the water wasn’t properly treated to reduce corrosion.

Lead from old pipes contaminated the system, though Snyder’s environmental agency repeatedly said the water was OK.

In a related case, Howard

Croft, who was Flint’s public works director, said Crawford should recuse himself. Crawford said he has no bias but will let another judge decide.

Crawford said lead levels at his home were far below a risky level.

He said he has presided over lawsuits about power outages when he, too, lost power, even throwing out food from his freezer at least three times.

“It never crossed Judge Crawford’s mind to treat the power company any differently because of his personal experience with them,” Crawford told Croft on Feb. 19.