Nessel regrets the details were never presented in court to juries
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel released a 101-page report Tuesday on the Flint water crisis, calling it the final accountability step her office can take after the state Supreme Court blocked criminal cases against former Gov. Rick Snyder and eight other people.
The crisis began in 2014 when officials began drawing water from the Flint River to save money, causing lead from old pipes to leach into the city’s drinking water and subjecting residents to years of health concerns. Prosecutors attempted to bring 42 felony and misdemeanor charges against nine people, including Snyder, a former Republican governor. The criminal cases were shut down before trial.
Most of the 101-page document provides a history of the contamination, local and state officials’ slow response, and the prosecution’s attempt to charge the nine defendants. Nessel, a Democrat serving her final term, said the report is meant to be a thorough public account of the criminal investigation and expressed regret that the details were never presented in court to juries.