Last week, Michigan's top prosecutor announced that five officials, including the state's Health Department head Nick Lyon, will face charges of involuntary manslaughter for a death resulting from the Flint water crisis. It's a move virtually unheard of in modern American history; legal experts couldn't point to a single case in which government
In Flint Water Crisis, Will Manslaughter Charges Actually Lead To Prison Time?
Prosecutors will try to prove five Michigan officials were responsible for a Legionnaires’ death because they knew about the problem, but failed to warn the public. Similar cases of environmental disasters have not resulted in convictions, but there are reasons Flint could break the mold.