Four groups representing Michigan public health officials have filed motions with a Genessee County Circuit Court judge to allow them to file briefs in support of Nick Lyon, the former MDHHS Director facing manslaughter charges related to the Flint water crisis.

The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, the Michigan Association for Local Public Health, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, and the Michigan Associations of Health Plans filed the motions, demonstrating wide recognition of the dangerous precedent these proceedings set for public officials.

The ASTHO said it filed the motion “because a fundamental issue before the Court is whether ASTHO’s members – public health officials – should face criminal charges and trial for their professional decisions.”

Lyon is facing charges for deaths tied to a Legionnaires disease outbreak in Flint during the water crisis in 2014 and 2015. He is one of six former and current city and state employees who have been charged by Attorney General Dana Nessel in an act of political retribution.

7th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Elizabeth Kelly issued a protective order on November 19th barring the Michigan AG’s office from reviewing or producing any seized documents until a taint team is established to review the discovery in the case against former Gov. Rick Snyder.

This ruling follows a motion by the Snyder defense team on October 12th asking for the protective order due to continued malfeasance by the Attorney General’s office in regards to proper procedures of discovery.

“This is a massive breach of attorney-client privilege,” stated Brian Lennon, an attorney for Snyder. “The prosecution has our entire legal defense strategy in their hands.”

Prior to the ruling, email evidence surfaced showing two assistant attorney’s general attempted to raise a red flag that improper procedures of discovery were being used, but those warnings were ignored.

Continue reading “Judge orders protective order to block release of attorney-privileged documents”

The FlintLegalBlog.com is a news and information page about the egregious prosecution of Gov. Rick Snyder for misdemeanor charges resulting from the Flint water crisis of 2015. This site is funded by the defense team for the purpose of providing accurate and timely information. The unprecedented prosecution of Gov. Snyder — who served two terms from 2011 to 2018 — has cost Michigan taxpayers millions of dollars, has done nothing to help the people of Flint, and has no end in sight.