Mistrial Declared in Flint Water Crisis Privatization, Negligence Case Against LAN & Veolia
People wonder if any justice, any at all, will ever come to Flint
Flint Water Crisis Mistrial Declared in Child-Led Case Against Private Engineering Firms Veolia & Lockwood Andrews & Newnam (LAN).
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Veolia and LAN are accused of negligence as part of a Flint water privatization scheme, causing devastating health impacts on children.
U.S. Magistrate Judge David Grand has declared a mistrial after the jury was unable to come to a verdict, citing that the mental and physical health and wellbeing of one juror was at risk after a trial lasting six months.
The now-dismissed jury, which included five women and three men, was hung as of a week ago under U.S. District Court Judge Judith E. Levy. Judge Levy had to step away due to her own medical issue, and now Judge Grand has stepped in and made the call to declare a mistrial.
The case against Veolia and LAN was originally brought by four children/their families who live in the majority Black, poor city.
As a civil jury trial, a unanimous verdict is required. Many families have reported severe physical and mental health issues as a result of the water crisis, which started in 2014. The crisis is now in its 8th year and far from over for those suffering.
Moshe Maimon, attorney for the families that brought the allegations, is reportedly distressed over the length of time this has taken and the jury being unable to come to a decision.
He recently requested to have any juror removed who is "either emotionally unstable or unable to deliberate and engage in rational discussions."
No juror was removed, and the jury wrote the following to Judge Grand, "For the physical and emotional health of the jurors, we don't believe we can continue with further deliberations."
They continued, saying, "Further deliberations will only result in stress and anxiety with no unanimous decision without someone having to surrender their honest convictions solely for the purpose of returning a verdict."
Now the victims and their lawyers have to decide if they want to drop their claims or try the case again with a new jury. Judge Grand had told them. "I believe the jury has made it clear (it is) hopelessly deadlocked. They have been here for months ... They have made tremendous sacrifices."
Veolia and LAN had been advocating for the judge to declare a mistrial. "We should let these folks go and not be bothered by lawyers ... Three times now, this jury has come back and said they cannot reach a verdict."
The companies, shockingly to some, seemed to place doubt on injuries to the children bringing the suit and said that the government is responsible, not them. They had chosen to fight the cases in court rather than settle them.
Why did Flint switch water sources back in 2014? Why didn't they use proper corrosion control? Why has no justice been brought to Flint after eight years?
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