Michigan medical officer ordered to trial over Flint water deaths

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

U.S. DECEMBER 7, 2018 / 1:43 PM / UPDATED A DAY AGO

Michigan medical officer ordered to trial over Flint water deaths

Suzannah Gonzales, Gina Cherelus
3 MIN READ

(Reuters) - A Michigan judge on Friday ordered the state’s chief medical officer to stand trial on charges of involuntary manslaughter in connection to the contamination of the city of Flint’s water supply, a crisis that resulted in 12 deaths.

Eden Wells, a physician who serves as the state medical executive, faces the manslaughter charge for her alleged failure to stop an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease while the city was taking its water from the Flint River. The charge carries a possible prison sentence of 15 years.

Wells was ordered to stand trial by Judge William Crawford, according to a spokeswoman from Flint District Court in Genesee County, Michigan. She also faces charges of lying to a special police agent and obstruction of justice, The Detroit News said.

“Our client is not guilty of these charges and we will move on to the next steps,” Jerold Lax, Wells’ attorney, said in a phone interview. Lax declined to elaborate.

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Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-michigan-water/michigan-medical-officer-ordered-to-trial-over-flint-water-deaths-idUSKBN1O628F

[Cousin Dupree]

1. "First do no harm". Guess she forgot.