Flint water prosecution of Snyder, 8 others moving forward despite recent setback

The criminal case against former Gov. Rick Snyder and eight others for their alleged roles in the Flint water crisis hit a major setback last week, but prosecutors have no plans to abandon the case, according to recent court filings.

The prosecution team of Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy filed two sets of motions Friday that indicate they are moving forward with the case.

Supporters of the prosecution were worried the case would be dropped after the Michigan Supreme Court ruled on June 28 that a judge lacked the authority to use a one-man grand jury to issue indictments against the officials last year.

The motions show that prosecutors are moving ahead.

"The Supreme Court did not question the merit of our cases, nor evaluate the evidence in these proceedings,” Hammoud said in a statement. “Judge Newblatt, serving as the one-man grand juror, relied on a decades-long process to evaluate substantial evidence presented in these cases and issued indictments based on that evidence. The opinion issued by the Court outlined new rules regarding the process related to Michigan’s one-man grand jury statute and these motions comply with those rules. We are confident that the evidence in these cases supports the charges and look forward to proving that in court.”

In one motion, the prosecutors are asking that the felony cases against former state officials Richard Baird, Nick Lyon, and Nancy Peeler be returned to the Genesee County District Court for preliminary examinations.

The second motion informs the court that the remaining defendants, including Snyder, will proceed in district court.

“These motions confirm our commitment to keep fighting for the people of Flint,” Worthy said. “As prosecutors, it is our duty to pursue all available means to secure justice for the people we serve, and I am committed to seeing this prosecution through to its conclusion.”

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