DETROIT – Former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder's attempt to have criminal charges against him thrown out was denied Thursday.
A Genesee County district court judge denied a motion from Snyder's legal team to dismiss criminal charges brought in January against former Gov. Rick Snyder for his role in the Flint water crisis.
Last week, Snyder's legal team argued that Crawford had no choice but to dismiss the two misdemeanor charges against Snyder because the charges were brought in the wrong court. The case should be in Lansing, not Flint, because that's where his office was, the former Republican governor's lawyers argued.
But Judge William Crawford II was not convinced.
Crawford said that the indictment, issued by a one-man grand jury after considering evidence in the case, listed Genesee County as the location of the crimes. Crawford also noted that prosecutors still must prove at trial that the crimes occurred in Genesee County.
Attorney General Dana Nessel's office charged Snyder and eight others in January with a range of crimes related to the Flint water crisis. Snyder is facing two misdemeanor charges of willful neglect of duty. He and the other eight defendants all have pleaded not guilty.
After Crawford read his ruling, Snyder's attorney, Brian Lennon, indicated to the judge that the ruling would be appealed.
