Judge dismisses charges against 7 people in Flint water crisis

By ED WHITE Associated Press

A judge has dismissed charges against seven people in the Flint water scandal, including two former state health officials blamed for deaths from Legionnaires' disease.

Judge Elizabeth Kelly took action Tuesday, three months after the Michigan Supreme Court said a one-judge grand jury had no authority to issue indictments.

Kelly rejected efforts by the attorney general's office to just send the cases to Flint District Court and turn them into criminal complaints.

That's the typical path to filing felony charges in Michigan.

In 2014, Flint managers took the city out of a regional water system and began using the Flint River to save money.

The water wasn't treated to reduce corrosion of old pipes, resulting in lead contamination.

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