I congratulate the people of Flint, the Attorney General and those families that have suffered through this nightmare. The current mayor of Flint seems to think the charges against Rick Snyder are not as strong as they should be.
It always seems to be that the people most responsible for the crime receive the least punishment. Yet, people that simply carried out orders on their jobs felt so responsible.
By Jason Silverstein
A friend found Matthew McFarland, a foreman at Flint's Water Treatment Plant, dead in his Otter Lake home on April 16, according to MLive.
Just three days later, Sasha Avonna Bell — one of the first people to file a lawsuit over the city's contaminated water supply — was shot and killed in a double murder....
...In one of the first lawsuits over Flint's contaminated water, Bell claimed her child had been poisoned.
Police said she was slain along with another woman, Sacorya Renee Reed, 19, by Bell's ex-boyfriend, Malek Emmanuel Thornton. An unharmed child was found in the home and is now in the care of other family members, police said.
"There'd been an ongoing feud between them prior to the homicide," Golden said of Bell and Thornton.
"It had nothing to do with the water suit."
Thornton, 18, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder. There are no other suspects for the shooting.
Golden declined to comment on the child in Bell's home and on Bell's conflict with Thornton, citing the ongoing investigation.
McFarland, 43, who worked for the City of Flint for 18 years, died "suddenly," according to his obituary. His cause of death has not been released, but police said foul play is not suspected.
Authorities did not immediately return requests for comment on his death....
January 14, 2020
By Joe Guillen, Christine MacDonald and Jennifer Dixon
Former Gov. Rick Snyder appeared in a Flint court this morning (click here) and pleaded not guilty to two charges of willful neglect of duty as state prosecutors revealed indictments against nine defendants as a result of the Flint water crisis.
Despite the lower-level charges compared with other defendants, the case against Snyder marked a significant moment in the state's political history. Snyder is the first Michigan governor or former governor to be charged with a crime for alleged conduct while in office.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel praised the high-profile prosecutions led by her office's Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud as well as Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy. Nessel had said earlier that she had walled herself off from the criminal cases, turning her focus instead to ongoing civil cases related to the contamination of Flint's drinking water beginning more than six years ago....
"It had nothing to do with the water suit."
Thornton, 18, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder. There are no other suspects for the shooting.
Golden declined to comment on the child in Bell's home and on Bell's conflict with Thornton, citing the ongoing investigation.
McFarland, 43, who worked for the City of Flint for 18 years, died "suddenly," according to his obituary. His cause of death has not been released, but police said foul play is not suspected.
Authorities did not immediately return requests for comment on his death....
Ideally, the person with the least amount of power carrying out the executive order is suppose to stand up for what is right. It isn't that easy. Pressure on employees to perform to standard regardless how wrong it seems isn't easy to simply walk away from the job and the income. Whistleblowers are brave people, but, as a society we can't count on such bravery in day to day living. Often when a Governor proceeds with what is wrong the employee assigned the task thinks the Governor knows best and he should not question him.
Mr. McFarland worked for 18 years doing the right thing under state and city authority that believed in the rule of law and the protection of life. Mr. McFarland ran into Rick Snyder and his life changed to a point where he could not live with himself.
Let's just say this is a good beginning, but, it is an incomplete criminal charge. I will comment further as time goes on. The full picture is not portrayed in the charges leveled at Rick Snyder today.
By Joe Guillen, Christine MacDonald and Jennifer Dixon
Former Gov. Rick Snyder appeared in a Flint court this morning (click here) and pleaded not guilty to two charges of willful neglect of duty as state prosecutors revealed indictments against nine defendants as a result of the Flint water crisis.
Despite the lower-level charges compared with other defendants, the case against Snyder marked a significant moment in the state's political history. Snyder is the first Michigan governor or former governor to be charged with a crime for alleged conduct while in office.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel praised the high-profile prosecutions led by her office's Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud as well as Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy. Nessel had said earlier that she had walled herself off from the criminal cases, turning her focus instead to ongoing civil cases related to the contamination of Flint's drinking water beginning more than six years ago....
