FLINT — The document serves as a thorough public account of the yearslong legal effort that ended without convictions. "I hope this offering revealing the inner workings of our dedicated investigators and prosecutors who helmed this yearslong effort and the facts and evidence which guided them may tell one part of the story of the Flint water crisis, and put the truth in the hands of the people of Flint who deserve it the most," Nessel said.

She expressed regret that the details of the investigation were never presented in court to juries. The Democrat is in her final term as Attorney General and took office in 2019.

The release follows a 2022 ruling by the Michigan Supreme Court that dismissed criminal charges against former Governor Rick Snyder and eight other individuals. The court ruled that the judge had no power to issue indictments under the grand jury law used in the case. Prosecutors had attempted to bring 42 felony and misdemeanor charges against nine people, including Snyder.

She defended the prosecutors' decision to seek charges directly from a judge. She noted that three of the justices who joined the unanimous ruling were appointed by Snyder. "I think it’s impossible to separate those things," she said.

She was not involved in the criminal cases when she first took office. She fired a special prosecutor who had brought criminal charges and assembled a new team of attorneys to determine whether crimes were committed. The new legal team presented evidence to a judge who acted as a one-person grand jury. She focused on settling lawsuits against the state during this period.

Prosecutors said in 2023 that a report summarizing their investigation would come out the following year. She said it took more time to redact information from grand jury proceedings and summarize millions of other documents. The delay extended the timeline beyond initial expectations for the public release.

Chemicals used to treat the Flint River water caused lead to leach from old pipes. Doctors reported high levels of lead in the blood of Flint children while state health officials said the water was safe.

Timeline

Flint began drawing water from the Flint River in 2014. Officials switched Flint's water source to the Flint River to save money in 2014. Snyder acknowledged the lead problem in September 2015.

The state provided water filters and testing of water in Flint schools after Snyder acknowledged the lead problem in September 2015. Snyder declared a state of emergency in Flint in early 2016.

What's New

Additional reporting confirms that the Michigan Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Michigan. This institutional detail provides context for the finality of the 2022 ruling that ended the criminal prosecutions.

Why It Matters

The release of the 101-page report marks the conclusion of the state's criminal pursuit of accountability for the Flint water crisis. With the Michigan Supreme Court having dismissed all charges in 2022, the report represents the final administrative step available to the Attorney General's office. The document places the findings of the investigation into the public record despite the lack of judicial verdicts.

The crisis affected thousands of residents who were exposed to lead-contaminated water for over a year. The legal proceedings involved nine defendants, including a former governor. The dismissal of charges based on procedural grounds regarding the grand jury process leaves the factual findings of the investigation without a criminal court validation.