Of course, Snyder's lawyers are going to appeal. I think the State of Michigan is still picking up the tab for the lawyers, right? Why not appeal?
Last week I discussed the little-known antiquated Michigan law that allows a one-person grand jury. All this requires some degree of investigation to find out why the case against Snyder wasn't appropriately pled before a jury of 16 or more people. Perhaps, the state will once again look into the outcomes of the one-person grand jury and rethink the charges against Snyder. There is no reason to undo the current misdemeanors, but, there is sufficient reason to bring in a new grand jury to examine the real reasons why Snyder is charged and add to his crimes.
The people of Flint deserve sincere justice. This is so racist in it's entire course there has to be a reconvening of a proper grand jury to render additional charges to Snyder. He was the impetus to the crimes that occurred in Flint. He was the one that covered everything up when the federal EPA wrote HIM and demanded something be done about the water quality. There is a good chance the federal system can look into the EPA's efforts and the willful disregard by Snyder and bring their own charges. It should be brought to the attention of the federal EPA's attention with requests for additional charges against the former governor.
By Ed White
Detroit - A judge on Thursday(click here) rejected a request to dismiss misdemeanor charges against a former Michigan governor in the Flint water scandal.
Lawyers for Rick Snyder said he worked in Ingham County, not Genesee County, so the indictment from a one-person grand jury was returned in the wrong place....
The crimes occurred in Genesee County. All of a sudden the charges have to be filed in the defendant's county of residency? If that is the case every other criminal case ever brought in the USA should be dismissed. I guess the lawyers have to try. The proper jurisdiction is Genesee County. Now, if the lawyers are concerned about a biased jury, the trial could possibly be brought elsewhere, like Detroit.
...But Judge William Crawford II said prosecutors have flexibility about where to pursue a case.
If the former Republican governor goes to trial, a jury will be asked to determine if charges of willful neglect of duty occurred in the boundaries of Flint and Genesee County, Crawford said.
The attorney general's office has “intimate knowledge” of what the investigation revealed and where, the judge said.
“The state Legislature does not want strict adherence to territorial boundaries applied to nebulous concepts of venue," especially if it could "impede justice,” Crawford said....
Since when does a legislative body weigh in on a criminal trial? This entire episode with Snyder and the Republican Michigan State legislature is a crime. Maybe the members of the legislature that acted to destroy the referendum by the people in an open and free election should be tried. It might be a good idea to look at that as well. A State hearing about the disregarded referendum will never happen, so maybe the State Attorney General needs to look into the ethical and criminal statutes to determine if members of the Michigan legislature acted to CAUSE greater harm to the people of the state, including Flint by destroying the referendum voted on by the people to end the Emergency Manager law.
...Snyder's attorneys plan to appeal. It's the first of what will be many aggressive challenges to an unprecedented case against a sitting or former Michigan governor for alleged acts while in office....
I really believe this episode of "citizens endangerment and death" is a human rights violation committed by people that legislate laws and those that carry them out. There must be a way to hold all involved responsible.
