Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS AG Bill Schuette on investigation into Gov. Snyder | 1:51 In an interview with the Free Press, Attorney General Bill Schuette was asked about his team’s investigation into Gov. Rick Snyder regarding the Flint water crisis. Here’s what he had to say. Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press 1 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Who is facing involuntary manslaughter charges in the Flint water crisis? | 1:22 Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette today filed new, more serious charges in the Flint Water Crisis investigation, but also said the case is shifting to a new phase. Detroit Free Press 2 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS See who gave Flint more than $1B | 1:30 Since its founding, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation has now granted $1 billion (in actual dollars — not inflation — adjusted) in the Flint area. Matthew Dolan, Detroit Free Press 3 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS 5 officials charged with involuntary manslaughter over Flint water crisis | 42:09 Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette announces charges for six state and local officials in connection to the Flint water crisis. Five people have been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the case. Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press 4 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Flint water might have made people sick again, but not from lead | 1:12 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found the first genetic link between Legionnaires' disease and Flint River water. Video provided by Newsy Newslook 5 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS See what's the latest on the Flint Water Crisis | 1:25 Pipes at 1,492 homes have been replaced so far through Flint Mayor Karen Weaver’s FAST Start Initiative. Matthew Dolan, Detroit Free Press 6 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Flint mayor wants meeting with governor | 0:33 Flint Mayor Karen Weaver is unhappy the state is ending subsidies for city water bills. 7 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS The lead levels in Flint's water are finally going down | 0:59 The levels of lead in the Michigan city's water are within federal standards, according to a new report. Video provided by Newsy Newslook 8 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Flint's Michael Moore rips Donald Trump in D.C. speech | 17:19 Flint filmmaker Michael Moore didn't hold back, ranting about President Donald Trump at the women's march in Washington D.C. on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017. Associated Press 9 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Gov. Rick Snyder talks charges in Flint water crisis | 0:58 Gov. Rick Snyder talks to Paul Egan of the Detroit Free Press about potential charges regarding the Flint water crisis. Julia Nagy/Lansing State Journal 10 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Don't Forget About Flint | 17:45 The ongoing Flint water crisis has taken a toll on residents of this iconic Michigan city, who have been living with lead-tainted tap water for over two years. One Flint resident describes the experience as, “like being in war, but without violence.” 11 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Documentary on Flint water crisis to debut next year | 0:48 According to The Hollywood Reporter, a new documentary about the ongoing water crisis in the city of Flint is set to debut in 2017. Wochit 12 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Flint resident describes struggles dealing with Flint water crisis | 1:23 Flint resident Angie Thornton–George discusses the impacts on Flint residents lives dealing with the ongoing Flint water crisis. Ryan Garza Detroit Free Press 13 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS AG Bill Schuette announces charges in Flint water crisis | 26:51 Six more state employees were charged with crimes today for their roles in the Flint Water Crisis because of negligence and arrogance, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette said. 14 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Flint Mayor Karen Weaver speaks at Democratic National Convention | 4:19 Flint Mayor Karen Weaver speaks at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday, July 27, 2016. USA TODAY 15 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Bill Schuette announces Flint water crisis lawsuits | 2:05 Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette announced lawsuits against companies for their roles in the Flint water crisis on Wednesday, June 22, 2016. Matthew Dolan, Detroit Free Press 16 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Flint to Get Lake Water When System is Ready | 1:20 The mayor of Flint, Mich. said the city will get water from the Karegnondi Water Authority as soon as that system is ready, even though she had threatened to break an agreement to join the system following Flint's lead-tainted water crisis. (June 21) AP 17 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Church Aids Spanish Speakers in Flint Crisis | 1:56 The water crisis in Flint is exacerbating concerns some in the Michigan city’s Latino community have about deportation, immigration or even a simple understanding of what’s going on. (June 8) AP 18 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS NAACP sues Michigan officials For negligence in Flint water crisis | 0:58 The NAACP says Michigan officials stopped drinking Flint's water before they informed the public that there was a problem.Video provided by Newsy Newslook 19 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Snoop, Mo-Pete and hoops to help Flint | 4:03 Former MSU and NBA star Morris Peterson teamed up with rapper Snoop Dogg for the Hoop 4 Water charity game in Flint on Saturday. (Chris Solari/LSJ) 20 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Snyder, Weaver urge residents to flush taps | 1:23 Gov. Rick Snyder and Flint Mayor Karen Weaver speak to reporters at Flint City Hall on May 12, 2016. Matthew Dolan, Detroit Free Press Videolicious 21 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Obama: 'Corrosive attitude' led to Flint crisis | 1:57 President Barack Obama traveled to Flint, Michigan to talk to city leaders and residents about the city's water contamination crisis. He said a "corrosive attitude in our politics" is partly to blame. (May 4) AP 22 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Obama drinks filtered Flint water in Michigan | 2:51 Showing support for the beleaguered residents of Flint, Michigan, President Barack Obama drank filtered city water on Wednesday to show that it is again safe following a lead-contamination crisis. (May 4) AP 23 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Obama greets 'Little Miss Flint' with massive bear hug | 0:50 President Obama responded to a letter from 8-year-old Amariyanna Copeny, aka "Little Miss Flint", in the best way: by visiting her in her hometown. They met in person just before he gave a speech about the water crisis impacting the Flint community. 24 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS 8-year-old girl's letter inspires Obama to visit Flint | 1:32 Flint resident Amariyanna 'Mari' Copeny, 8, wrote a letter to President Barack Obama asking him to come to Flint. Inspired by the letter, the president will visit Flint to talk about the Flint water crisis. Ryan Garza Detroit Free Press 25 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Flint resident reacts to criminal charges announced today | 0:44 Flint resident David Frownfelter reacts to criminal charges announced by Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette's ongoing Flint water investigation. Ryan Garza, Detroit Free Press 26 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Schuette announces charges in Flint water crisis | 4:34 Two Michigan Department of Environmental Quality employees and a Flint city official were charged in the Flint water crisis. Mandi Wright, Detroit Free Press 27 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Gov. Rick Snyder reacts to criminal charges in Flint water crisis | 1:03 Gov. Rick Snyder told reporters Wednesday that possible wrongdoing by a few individuals should not reflect on all 47,000 state employees. Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press Videolicious 28 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Snyder says he'll drink Flint water for 30 days | 1:07 Gov. Rick Snyder says he visited a Flint home Monday and filled three one-gallon jugs with filtered tap water. Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press 29 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Snyder discusses aid for Flint | 0:55 Gov. Rick Snyder discusses state and federal aid for the Flint drinking water crisis after a meeting in Flint Friday. Videolicious 30 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Flint Mayor Karen Weaver updates reporters on lead lines | 0:38 Flint Mayor Karen Weaver updates reporters about city's progress to replace lead service lines. Matthew Dolan Detroit Free Press 31 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Legionnaires' disease: 5 things you need to know | 0:55 In light of the recent outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in New York City, here are five facts you need to know about the disease. 32 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Flint man describes living without water during Flint water crisis | 1:55 Flint resident Darryl Wilson describes the difficulties of living through the Flint Water Crisis without running water in his home. 33 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Mica calls for McCarthy's resignation | 1:33 Rep John Mica calls for EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy’s resignation 34 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Mark Ruffalo puts spotlight on Flint water crisis | 2:18 Academy Award-nominated actor calls on President Obama to declare Flint a national disaster amid drinking water crisis. Detroit Free Press 35 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Elijah E. Cumming's opening statement at Flint water hearing | 0:37 Rep. Elijah E. Cummings' opening statements. 36 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Gerry Connolly questions Rick Snyder | 3:13 Rep. Gerry Connolly questions Gov. Rick Snyder. 37 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Snyder on what has changed after Flint crisis | 0:33 Gov. Rick Snyder talks about what has changed after the Flint water crisis. 38 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Snyder can only take so much at Flint hearing | 2:49 Gov. Rick Snyder interrupts EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy at the Flint water hearing. 39 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Gov. Snyder: Government 'failed the families of Flint' | 0:38 Michigan Governor Rick Snyder called the water crisis in Flint a 'failure of government at all levels' during his testimony at a hearing before Congress on Thursday. The people of Flint, including more than 8,000 children, were exposed to lead for mo 40 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Flint water crisis: 5 things you need to know | 1:35 The once quiet city of Flint, Michigan is facing a drinking water crisis that is drawing concern from around the nation. Here's what you need to know about how the public health crisis has evolved. VPC 41 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Flint resident begins gathering info for recall of Snyder | 1:16 Flint resident Quincy Murphy gathers information from registered voters for recall efforts against Michigan Governor Rick Snyder over the water crisis. Ryan Garza, Detroit Free Press 42 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS New trouble in Flint: Adults poisoned, too | 1:56 Flint resident Aaron Stinson, 39, discusses getting news that he has the highest blood lead level in county for adults during Flint water crisis. Ryan Garza, Detroit Free Press 43 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder addresses reporters in Flint | 3:40 Gov. Snyder answers questions about the federal government's response to the Flint water crisis and reaffirms that he will not resign. 44 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Snyder says feds had multiple failures on Flint | 0:52 Gov, Rick Snyder said Tuesday he hopes federal officials are being asked tough questions about Flint. Videolicious 45 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Flint Water Contamination Could Lead To Manslaughter Charges | 0:49 If the investigation finds a link, officials could be charged with involuntary manslaughter. 46 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Flint water main breaks causes boil water advisory | 0:29 Water flows from a large transmission water main break in Flint causing a precautionary boil advisory for residents already dealing with Flint water crisis. Ryan Garza, Detroit Free Press 47 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS AG Schuette's Flint water Investigation | 1:33 Attorney Todd Flood, with AG Bill Schuette (to Flood's left), describes charges that could emerge from the Flint drinking water investigation. Videolicious 48 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Flint doctor weighs in on water crisis | 0:28 Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha says education is important because residents helped bring the crisis to light. Eric D. Lawrence/Detroit Free Press 49 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Warehouse fire dominates Highland Park skyline | 1:03 An early morning warehouse fire dominates the Highland Park skyline forcing some residents to evacuate and a warning for residents to boil their water. Mandi Wright/Detroit Free Press Mandi Wright/Detroit Free Press 50 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Pistons' Stan Van Gundy talks Flint water crisis | 2:22 Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy, the players and others are donating $500,000 to the relief efforts in Flint during the water crisis that has garnered national attention. Video by Vince Ellis, DFP 51 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Flint activist reacts to rejection of Snyder recall petition. | 0:40 Flint resident Quincy Murphy said Thursday he will try again after a state panel rejected his recall petition targeting Gov. Rick Snyder. 52 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Flint OHL team says its water is safe | 1:53 Flint Firebirds president Costa Papista says the water at Dort Federal Credit Union Event Center has been tested and found to contain no lead. 53 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Lions donate 100,000 bottles of water to Flint | 1:18 Detroit Lions defensive end Ziggy Ansah and his teammates led a drive that donated more than 100,000 bottles to community centers in Flint. By Dave Birkett, DFP. 54 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Flint resident speaks on water crisis | 0:44 Michigan State Police and National Guard members gave Flint residents bottles water, filters and lead testing kits Jan. 21. Katrease Stafford Detroit Free Press 55 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Michael Moore talks in Flint on the water crisis | 2:15 Flint native and director talked to a crowd of 150 about the ongoing Flint water crisis that is affecting thousands of people. Eric Seals/DFP 56 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Snyder answers questions during auto show tour | 2:57 Gov. Rick Snyder tours the Detroit auto show, but gets questions about the Flint water crisis and Detroit Public Schools. Kathleen Gray, Detroit Free Press 57 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Flint water emergency press conference | 1:26 Department of Health and Human Services Chief Medical Executive Eden Wells discusses Flint water emergency during press conference at State Emergency Operations Center in Lansing. Ryan Garza/Detroit Free Press 58 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Gov. Rick Snyder meets with Flint mayor on water crisis | 2:13 Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and Flint Mayor Karen Weaver said they had a constructive meeting Thursday on the drinking water crisis. Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press 59 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Mich. Gov. Rick Snyder on the Flint water crisis | 2:23 Michigan governor Rick Snyder talks about the Flint water situation with the editorial board of the Detroit Free Press on Monday, December 14, 2015. Romain Blanquart Detroit Free Press 60 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Ann Arbor resident describes anger toward Gov. Snyder | 2:13 Susan Fecteau said she's upset with the way Gov. Rick Snyder has handled the Flint water crisis. Katrease Stafford, Detroit Free Press 61 of 62 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE FLINT WATER CRISIS Matt Cartwright questions Gov. Rick Snyder | 1:12 Rep. Matt Cartwright questions Gov. Rick Snyder 62 of 62 Last VideoNext Video AG Bill Schuette on investigation into Gov. Snyder

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 Buy Photo Attorney General Bill Schuette (Photo: Ryan Garza, Detroit Free Press)Buy Photo

 Update: Michigan AG Bill Schuette: State employees ignored warning flags in Flint

 FLINT — Six state employees were criminally charged this morning in district court in connection with the Flint water crisis.

 Charged are Michigan Department of Health and Human Services workers Nancy Peeler, Corinne Miller and Robert Scott, and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality employees Liane Shekter-Smith; Adam Rosenthal and Patrick Cook, according to testimony this morning in Flint’s district court.

 ► Related: Investigator: Workers changed reports, hid data in Flint water crisis

 ► Related: A look at the 6 state employees charged in Flint water crisis

 ► Related: 6 state employees criminally charged in Flint water crisis

 ► Related: Flint water probe costs triple, may reach $5M

 Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette and Todd Flood, the Royal Oak attorney heading the AG's investigation, discussed the charges at an 11:30 a.m. news conference at U-M Flint.

 "Some people failed to act, others minimized harm done and arrogantly chose to ignore data, some intentionally altered figures ... and covered up significant health risks," he said.

 In April, Schuette announced felony charges against two Michigan Department of Environmental Quality officials and one City of Flint official. At that time, he promised more criminal charges would be forthcoming.

 Watch the press conference:

 The city employee, Mike Glasgow, pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor and is cooperating with the investigation as other charges were dropped. The two DEQ employees, Stephen Busch and Mike Prysby, are awaiting preliminary examinations.

 He later brought a civil lawsuit against engineering and consulting firms who had consulted on the Flint Water Treatment Plant.

 The civil lawsuit, filed in Flint in Genesee County Circuit Court, accuses engineering firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam and environmental consultant Veolia North America, plus related companies, of causing "the Flint Water Crisis to occur, continue and worsen." Both companies have denied any wrongdoing and vowed to fight the lawsuit.

 ► April: AG Bill Schuette: Flint water charges only the beginning

 ► April: A closer look at the criminal charges in the Flint water crisis

 ► April: Flint water defendants could lead to higher-ups

 ► April: Flint water crisis defendants: Who are they?

 Flint's drinking water became contaminated in lead in April 2014 after the city, while under the control of a state-appointed emergency manager, switched from treated water supplied from Detroit to raw water from the Flint River, which was treated at the Flint Water Treatment Plant.

 DEQ officials have acknowledged a mistake in failing to require corrosion control chemicals to be added to the water. As a result, lead leached from pipes, joints and fixtures into Flint households and harmful lead levels spiked in Flint children.

 Read or Share this story: http://on.freep.com/2ahfYQM ||||| FLINT, MI -- Six more state employees were charged in connection to the water crisis in Flint.

 Michigan Department of Environmental Quality workers official Liane Shekter Smith, Adam Rosenthal and Patrick Cook were all charged, along with Nancy Peeler, Corinne Miller and Robert Scott of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

 Jeff Seipenko, a special agent with the Attorney General's Office, requested the warrants on Friday, July 29 before Flint District Judge Nathaniel C. Perry III.

 State, feds concerned over ability of Flint to treat drinking water

 Peeler, Miller and Scott were charged with misconduct in office, conspiracy to commit misconduct in office and willful neglect of duty.

 Shekter Smith was charged with misconduct in office and willful neglect of duty.

 Cook is accused of misconduct in office, conspiracy to engage in misconduct in office and neglect of duty.

 Rosenthal was charged with misconduct in office, conspiracy to tamper with evidence, tampering with evidence and neglect.

 This is the second round of charges in connection to Flint's water crisis.

 Flint water crisis: Criminal charges against three state and city workers

 Three state and city employees were charged with felonies and misdemeanors in connection to the city's water crisis in April.

 Flint employee Michael Glasgow and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality employees Stephen Busch and Michael Prysby were the first charged in Attorney General Bill Schuette's investigation into the lead-tainted water in the city.

 Schuette announced in April that he was filing criminal charges against two state Department of Environmental Quality Employees and one city employee for their roles in the water crisis.

 Flint employee Michael Glasgow and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality employees Stephen Busch and Michael Prysby were each charged with felonies.

 Engineering firms 'botched' Flint water studies, attorney general says

 Glasgow pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor in exchange for his agreement to cooperate with prosecutors.

 The felony cases are still ongoing against Busch and Prysby.

 Schuette also announced in June that his office filed a civil lawsuit against Veolia North American and Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, which were hired to conduct engineering studies on the city's water system.

 Schuette's lawsuit accused Veolia and LAN of professional negligence and public nuisance. Veolia is also accused of fraud.

 The firms have denied any wrongdoing.

 Schuette has a news conference set scheduled for 11:30 a.m. to discus the charges. ||||| These crawls are part of an effort to archive pages as they are created and archive the pages that they refer to. That way, as the pages that are referenced are changed or taken from the web, a link to the version that was live when the page was written will be preserved.Then the Internet Archive hopes that references to these archived pages will be put in place of a link that would be otherwise be broken, or a companion link to allow people to see what was originally intended by a page's authors.The goal is to fix all broken links on the web . Crawls of supported "No More 404" sites. ||||| (CNN) Reports from two different Michigan agencies on the same day in July 2015 -- raising concerns about high levels of lead in Flint's children and in its water -- were altered or buried to cover up the Flint water crisis , according to state Attorney General Bill Schuette.

 Six current and former state employees, including the woman in charge of drinking water quality, were charged Friday in a widening criminal investigation into the crisis. The allegations show a concerted effort to cover up warning signs of lead poisoning, according to prosecutors.

 The investigation -- so far encompassing more than 200 interviews and nearly eight months -- is not over.

 Additional charges could be forthcoming, Schuette told reporters, comparing the matter to a mob investigation, which never starts "at the top."

 Prosecutors said the state Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Health and Human Services both altered and manipulated data, and advised others not to report problems, Schuette alleges.

 "It looks pretty obvious," special appointed prosecutor Todd Flood said. "Two agencies manipulating reports on the same day, in that lock-step going to stage left. That seems significant to me, but I'm going to let that play out in the investigation."

 Investigators said they have to be careful not to reveal too much detail as they move ahead. They've also responded to calls from some advocates for Gov. Rick Snyder to be charged with a single mantra: No one is a target, and no one is immune.

 With the latest round of charges, a total of nine current and former state and local officials face counts ranging from willful neglect of duty to conspiracy over allegations they withheld information from the public about lead contamination in the city's drinking water. Three lower level officials were charged in the spring, and one is cooperating, Schuette said.

 "The families of Flint will not be forgotten," Schuette said at a news conference. "We will provide the justice they deserve. And in Michigan, the justice system is not rigged. There is one system of justice. The laws apply to everyone, equally, no matter who you are."

 Prosecutors say the investigation is on track to be the largest ever in the state of Michigan.

 "Every time you turn the page you say to yourself you can't make this up," said Flood.

 'Treated as expendable'

 The highest-ranking officials charged Friday is Liane Shekter-Smith, former chief of the Office of Drinking Water and Municipal Assistance at the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. She is charged with one count of misconduct in office and one count of willful neglect of duty.

 Shekter-Smith's name has already been raised in congressional investigations after Flint mother Lee Anne Waters alleged that Shekter-Smith bragged about silencing an EPA employee who leaked a 2015 memo about rising lead levels.

 Charging documents now allege that Shekter-Smith took steps to mislead the public and conceal evidence, ignoring "reports that the (water) plant was out of compliance, lied that the plant was certified and lied to her superiors," according to Schuette.

 Two of her employees also were charged. Water quality analyst Adam Rosenthal allegedly manipulated a report on July 28, 2015, which showed higher than acceptable levels of lead in Flint's water, according to prosecutors.

 Another employee, Patrick Cook, community drinking water unit specialist, allegedly misled the EPA with false information. They are both charged with misconduct in office, a felony, and other misdemeanors.

 A separate report at another agency, dated the same day, July 28, 2015, raised concerns about higher than usual levels of lead in Flint's children during the summer of 2014. Schuette said the report was "buried," never forwarded to health officials by Nancy Peeler, director of the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program.

 Another former MDHHS employee, Corinne Miller, allegedly told others not to take action, and instructed one employee to delete emails concerning the original blood lead data from July 28, 2015, officials claim.

 A third employee, Robert Scott, data manager for the Healthy Homes and Lead Prevention Program, then created a second, "bogus" report, falsely indicating no significant rise in blood lead levels in children, according to Schuette.

 Prosecutors said there was communication between Shekter-Smith at the MDEQ and the MDHHS officials on July 28, 2015.

 Peeler, Miller and Scott each face one count of misconduct in office, one count of conspiracy, and one count of willful neglect of duty.

 Attorney general doesn't mince words

 When asked about a motive, prosecutors said it was arrogance.

 "Part arrogance, part viewing people in Flint as expendable. Covering things up, hiding things," Schuette said.

 Shekter-Smith's attorney, Brian Morley, declined comment. Attorneys for the others were not immediately available.

 When Schuette in April announced charges against three other officials, residents called for more arrests.

 Friday's charges stem from his long investigation of a crisis that began to unfold in spring 2014, when the state opted to switch the source of the city's water.

 "The victims are real people, families who have been lied to by government officials and been treated as expendable," Schuette said. "But when our investigation is completed and our prosecutions are successful -- and we believe they will be -- then accountability and justice will be delivered to families of Flint and families of Michigan."

 What is the crisis?

 Two years ago, in a move to save money, the state switched Flint's water supply from Lake Huron to the Flint River, a tributary notorious for its filth . The Department of Environmental Quality failed to treat the corrosive water, which ate into the city's iron and lead pipes, causing lead to leach into the drinking water.

 Last year, researchers and medical personnel discovered high levels of lead in Flint residents , especially children. Lead has been tied to a host of medical problems, especially in the nervous system.

 It's a massive public health crisis that has drawn national attention, and there's plenty of blame to go around. Already one group of investigators has concluded that government at every single level failed Flint

 Who were previously charged?

 City employee Mike Glasgow and state employees Stephen Busch and Mike Prysby.

 Busch, a district water supervisor for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, and Prysby, a district water engineer, each face six charges.

 Accusations include misleading federal regulatory officials, manipulating water sampling and tampering with reports. Busch and Prysby have pleaded not guilty.

 Glasgow reached a plea deal on other charges.

 Has anyone agreed to work with prosecutors?

 Glasgow.

 In May, Glasgow gave a plea of no contest to willful neglect of duty, a misdemeanor, citing reasons of possible civil liability, according to his attorney, Robert Harrison. A felony charge of tampering with evidence was dropped.

 Glasgow tampered with a 2015 report, "Lead and Copper Report and Consumer Notice of Lead Result," and failed to perform his duties as a treatment plant operator, the Michigan Attorney General's Office has said.

 Glasgow told CNN that Busch and Prysby directed him to alter water quality reports and remove the highest lead levels.

 What about the governor?

 Snyder has maintained he has done nothing wrong. Snyder, a Republican, has withstood calls to resign over the water disaster. Residents have called for him to be charged.

 "Was it actually criminal? Or was it poor decision-making?" Snyder said in April. "And again, I'm not looking for vindication. This is about getting to the truth, getting to accountability."

 Schuette's office has said that the governor's private attorneys withheld certain documents from the investigation, and that some unnamed agencies weren't being fully cooperative. He also said internal state investigations were interfering with their ability to take statements from certain employees.

 On Friday, Flood said there has been "great constructive dialogue" and "I'm hopeful that with the governor's team we will come to a meeting of the minds."

 How is the water now?

 The city switched back to the Lake Huron water supply in October. In January, the governor declared a state of emergency, one month after the city's mayor did.

 President Barack Obama visited Flint in May and spoke after a briefing from officials on response efforts to the lead poisoning. After the session, Obama took a sip from a glass of filtered Flint water, insisting that residents should feel safe if they also drank water that had been filtered.

 President Obama visited Flint in May.

 Flint Mayor Karen Weaver spoke at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday.

 "The problems in Flint are not over," she said. "The water is still not safe to drink or cook with from the tap. Our infrastructure is broken, leaking, and rusting away."

 On Flint's website, the city advises residents to "continue using water filters and bottled water while long-term solutions are being developed."

 How many civil lawsuits are there?

 More than 50 lawsuits have been filed since January. The state made the decision to switch the water source, but some lawsuits accuse the city of being complicit by not doing enough during the 18 months that residents received their drinking water from the Flint River.

 In June, Schuette sued two companies that were assisting Flint with its water treatment process. The charges listed in the lawsuit include professional negligence, public nuisance and fraud.

 Veolia, a French water company, called the suit "outrageous."

 "The allegations against Veolia are false, inaccurate, and unwarranted," the company said in a written statement . "Sadly for the citizens of Flint and throughout Michigan, the lawsuit represents the latest attempt to deflect responsibility by government officials and representatives who caused and are responsible for this situation."

 Texas engineering services firm Lockwood, Andrews and Newman, or LAN, said it did the work it was supposed to do in " a responsible and responsible manner ."

 "Decisions not to provide appropriate corrosion control, which may have resulted in a decline in water quality, were made by the city and the (Michigan Department of Environmental Quality), not by LAN," the Texas company said. ||||| Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE Attorney General Bill Schuette on Friday charged six more state employees with felonies for their alleged role in Flint's water contamination. Chad Livengood, The Detroit News

 From the campus of University of Michigan, Flint, MI., Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, right, announces 18 additional charges against four current and two former employees from two state departments in dealing with Flint water July 29, 2016. With him are Chief Investigator, FBI Special Agent Andy Arena, center, and Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton, left. (Photo: John M. Galloway, Detroit News)

 Flint — Criminal charges leveled Friday against six current and former state employees center around allegations they altered or concealed alarming reports showing high levels of toxic lead in Flint’s water and the bloodstreams of the city’s children.

 Attorney General Bill Schuette’s prosecutors contend much of the cover-up occurred on or around the same day in late July last year.

 At the Department of Health and Human Services, prosecutors allege employees Nancy Peeler and Robert Scott “buried” an epidemiologist’s July 28, 2015, report showing a significant year-over-year spike in blood lead levels in Flint children.

 Corrine Miller, the state’s top epidemiologist, later ordered a DHHS employee to delete emails about that July 28 report and prevented action to alert top state health officials and the public, Schuette said.

 A Genesee County judge on Friday authorized charges against Miller, Peeler and Scott for misconduct in office, conspiring to commit misconduct in office and willful neglect of duty related to allegedly concealing or disregarding the test results.

 Special Prosecutor Todd Flood’s investigation also found that on same date, three municipal water regulators at the Department of Environmental Quality altered a water-testing report to exclude some samples to keep overall lead levels under the federal limit.

 Schuette filed charges against DEQ water quality analyst Adam Rosenthal on Friday for allegedly altering the report in coordination with water regulators Stephen Busch and Michael Prysby, who were charged with similar misconduct crimes in April as part of the attorney general’s wide-ranging investigation.

 “These individuals concealed the truth,” Schuette said. “They were criminally wrong to do so.”

 Flood said Friday he’s still exploring whether there was active coordination between the two state agencies last summer to cover-up the lead contamination months before it exploded into an unprecedented public health crisis.

 “You have two agencies manipulating reports on the same day,” Flood said at a news conference announcing the new criminal charges. “In that lock step going to stage left, that seems significant to me. But I’m going to let that play out in our investigation and in the courtroom.”

 In addition to Rosenthal, Schuette on Friday filed criminal charges against DEQ water regulator Patrick Cook and fired municipal water chief Liane Shekter Smith.

 Genesee County District Judge Nathaniel C. Perry III authorized the charges and warrants for the arrests of the six current and former state employees Friday morning.

 Schuette said arrogance and viewing people in Flint as expendable were the motives of the employees criminally charged.

 “Their offenses vary but there is an overall theme and repeated pattern,” Schuette said. “Each of these individuals attempted to bury, or cover up, to downplay or hide information that contradicted their own narrative their story. Their story was there was nothing wrong with Flint water and it was perfectly safe to use.”

 Flint Mayor Karen Weaver said she appreciated the move to hold people accountable.

 “The decision to file more criminal charges today is hopefully another step toward justice for the City of Flint,” she said in a statement. “Still, it's sad to think people hired to make sure standards are met may have known there was a problem with the water in Flint.”

 Charges against DHHS’ Peeler and Scott center around a report epidemiologist Cristin Larder prepared on July 28, 2015, showing elevated blood lead levels compared to the summer of 2014, according Jeff Seipenko, an investigator in Schuette’s office.

 “Instead of releasing the report that indicated a significant problem, (Peeler) buried it and produced a bogus report that she and Robert Scott prepared,” Schuette said Friday.

 Scott and Peeler work in the health department’s childhood lead poisoning prevention program. The attorney general’s investigation found the pair created a “non-scientific” graph illustrating lead levels in Flint children without applying a proper statistical analysis, Seipenko said.

 “Peeler, relying on this unscientific graph, drafted and sent an unfounded email to MDHHS management that inappropriately concluded that the switch in water sources was not the cause of elevated lead levels in Flint children,” Seipenko told Perry in court on Friday.

 Miller, then director of the bureau of epidemiology, allegedly ordered a DHHS employee to “take no action and disregard Larder’s findings,” Seipenko said.

 “This put the children of Flint in the cross hairs of drinking poison,” Schuette said. “They ignored them and ignored the truth about what was happening in the city of Flint.”

 Rosenthal faces charges of misconduct in office, conspiracy to tamper with evidence and or engage in misconduct, tampering with evidence and willful neglect of duty of a public official. He was in charge of monitoring Flint’s water testing reports between April 2014 and October 2015 when the city used corrosive Flint River water.

 “Emails have revealed that defendant Rosenthal and others intentionally manipulated Lead and Copper Rule monitoring reports to conceal the fact that the lead level in the water being consumed by the citizens of Flint exceeded the action level of 15 parts per billion,” Seipenko said.

 “Despite knowing the water distributed by the Flint Water Treatment posed significant health risks to the citizens of Flint, defendant Rosenthal disregarded his public duties and took no affirmative action to protect the public health.”

 Cook, a water treatment engineer, was charged with misconduct in office, conspiracy to engage in misconduct in office and willful neglect of duty for allegedly working with Rosenthal to manipulate a Lead and Copper Rule report on the levels of lead in Flint’s water last summer, Seipenko said.

 Cook was in charge of interpreting the federal Lead and Copper Rule and “misled” the Environmental Protection Agency about how Flint’s water was being treated, Seipenko said.

 DEQ emails released by Gov. Rick Snyder’s office have shown that Cook actively dismissed concerns raised in April 2015 by EPA lead expert Miguel Del Toral about Flint’s lack of corrosion control chemicals that prevent lead from leaching into the water from old pipes.

 “The constant second-guessing of how we interpret and implement our rules is getting tiresome,” Cook said in an April 27, 2015 internal DEQ email.

 Cook proposed silencing Del Toral, who has since been hailed as a whistleblower.

 DEQ and DHHS released a joint statement Friday indicating Peeler, Scott, Cook and Rosenthal have been suspended without pay. Miller retired from DHHS in mid-April of this year, department spokeswoman Jennifer Eisner said.

 Shekter Smith, the former chief of DEQ’s Office of Drinking Water and Municipal Assistance, is the only state employee who has been fired for her role in Flint’s water crisis. She faces charges of misconduct in office and willful neglect of duty for allegedly ignoring mounting problems with river water between April 2014 and October 2015.

 Liane Shekter Smith (Photo: Gary Malerba / Special To The Detroit News)

 Before the presence of lead was exposed by Del Toral and Virginia Tech professor Marc Edwards, Flint’s water was brownish, foul smelling and hampered by spikes in E. coli bacteria and a carcinogen known as TTHM.

 “Evidence has shown that throughout this time period, defendant Shekter Smith intentionally mislead and took affirmative steps to conceal from her supervisors at the MDEQ and the public the safety and severe health risk associated with using the water,” Seipenko told the judge on Friday.

 In April, Schuette also filed criminal charges against Flint water utility administrator Michael Glasgow for his roles in not requiring Flint’s water to be treated with corrosion-controlling chemicals.

 In May, Glasgow struck a plea deal with Schuette’s office, pleading no contest to a misdemeanor charge of willful neglect of duty after agreeing to cooperate with state and federal investigators.

 DEQ employees charged

 Liane Shekter-Smith, former chief of drinking water and municipal assistance, of Marshall

 ■ One count of misconduct in office, a five-year felony

 ■ One count of willful neglect of duty, a one-year misdemeanor

 Adam Rosenthal, DEQ water quality analyst, of East Lansing

 ■ One count misconduct in office, a five-year felony

 ■ One count of willful neglect of duty, a one-year misdemeanor

 ■ One count tampering with evidence, a four-year felony

 ■ One count of conspiracy/tampering with evidence, a four-year felony

 Patrick Cook, DEQ specialist for community water drinking unit, of DeWitt

 ■ One count of willful neglect of duty, a one-year misdemeanor

 ■ One count misconduct in office, a five-year felony

 ■ One count of conspiracy, a five-year felony

 DHHS employees charged

 Nancy Peeler, director, program for maternal, infant and early childhood home visiting, of Midland

 ■ One count misconduct in office, a five-year felony

 ■ One count of conspiracy, a five-year felony

 ■ One count of willful neglect of duty, a one-year misdemeanor

 Robert Scott, data manager for the healthy homes and lead prevention program, of Haslett

 ■ One count misconduct in office, a five-year felony

 ■ One count of conspiracy, a five-year felony

 ■ One count of willful neglect of duty, a one-year misdemeanor

 Corinne Miller, former director of the bureau of epidemiology and state epidemiologist, of DeWitt

 ■ One count misconduct in office, a five-year felony

 ■ One count of conspiracy, a five-year felony

 ■ One count of willful neglect of duty, a one-year misdemeanor

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Write a summary.

– A half-dozen state employees in Michigan are officially in hot water in the ongoing investigation in Flint, Michigan, with the state's attorney general filing charges for their part in the tainted water crisis there, the Detroit News reports. According to testimony in Flint district court Friday morning, three workers in the state's health department—Nancy Peeler, Robert Scott, Corinne Miller—and three in the environmental office—water regulators Patrick Cook and Adam Rosenthal and ex-municipal water chief Liane Shekter-Smith—were hit with charges filed by AG Bill Schuette, per the Detroit Free Press. MLive.com reports that all six were charged with misconduct in office, with willful neglect of duty and various conspiracy charges also being assigned. Schuette filed criminal charges in April against two other state employees and a city water utility official. In the Department of Health and Human Services, alleged transgressions include reliance on shoddy data and hiding or ignoring bloodstream test results that indicated the significant presence of lead. Within the Department of Environmental Quality, accusations include workers manipulating water monitoring reports, purposely "misinterpreting" federal drinking-water standards, and trying to mislead the EPA, as well as suggesting ways to keep an EPA expert quiet about concerns. Shekter-Smith, meanwhile, is said to have turned a blind eye as evidence of water contamination became clearer. Meanwhile, per the Wall Street Journal, federal experts say filtered Flint tap water is safe to drink, but Mayor Karen Weaver noted Wednesday at the Democratic convention that the city's crisis is far from over. "Our infrastructure is broken, leaking, and rusting away," she said, per CNN.


– On June 5, Swiss voters will weigh in on a measure that's never been implemented in any country: make sure every citizen and legal resident gets $2,600, every month, tax-free ($650 for kids)—no matter what their employment situation or income level, USA Today reports. What Gawker says is perceived as the "utopian idea" of an unconditional basic income has been bandied about by individual cities in countries such as the Netherlands and Canada, but Switzerland would be the first nation to go for it. A group of Swiss intelligentsia was able to cull the 100,000 signatures required under the Swiss system to get it on the ballot. "It would lead to a more motivated workforce and [a] more humanized, stable, and productive economy," the initiative's co-founder says. The estimated $200 billion-a-year plan would be funded in part by raising the country's value-added tax (currently at 8%), its supporters say. Critics, however, say other taxes would have to rise, too, and fear the plan would sap people's motivation to work. Someone with no income would reap the full $2,600 a month tax-free, while others making some money would have their income supplemented to reach that cap (so if you already make $1,000, the government would fork over $1,600). And if you already bring in more than that $2,600 limit? That amount of your monthly income wouldn't be taxed. USA Today spells out what that would mean for two parents who didn't work with two kids at home: a combined family income, tax-free, of $78,000 a year. It doesn't appear likely the vote will go the initiative's way.

Expand this summary.

People enjoy the sunny weather in front of the Niesen mountain in Neuhaus near Interlaken, Switzerland, on May 5, 2016. (Photo: Peter Schneider, EPA)

 GENEVA, Switzerland — Chalk it up to Swiss affluence. Voters here will decide next month whether all 8 million citizens and legal residents should be guaranteed a generous monthly income, something no country in the world has ever done.

 On June 5, Swiss voters will weigh in on a radical proposal that would mandate the government to guarantee $2,600 a month tax-free to every adult citizen and legal resident, and $650 to each child.

 The payment would be provided to everyone, regardless of work status, income level, or wealth. It is a benefit few countries can afford. But then, Switzerland is among the world's richest nations, with a per capita income of about $85,000, 40% higher than that in the USA.

 The idea of an unconditional basic income is not new. It is being discussed by various cities in the Netherlands, Finland, Canada, New Zealand and other nations. But Switzerland is the first country to actually vote on a guaranteed income at the national level.

 The latest polls show the proposal likely will go down in defeat, though supporters say they hope to build support for it in the coming weeks.

 The initiative was put on the ballot by a group of artists, writers and intellectuals who made use of Switzerland's unique system of direct democracy, which allows any citizen to bring an issue to a referendum by collecting 100,000 legitimate signatures on a petition.

 "This is a great idea," said Chloe Hubert, a student at the University of Geneva. "I only work on weekends, so this income would really help."

 Though Swiss salaries are among the highest in the world, supporters say the stipend would offer people an option of reducing their working hours, while maintaining a decent standard of living.

 “It would lead to a more motivated workforce and more humanized, stable and productive economy,” said Che Wagner, the initiative’s co-organizer and campaign manager.

 Under the proposed law, the government would guarantee that every Swiss adult has at least $2,600 in monthly income after taxes. So if a person has no income at all, he or she will receive the full amount. If the person earns $1,600 now, the supplement would be $1,000.

 Marilola Wili, 21, is part of the campaign team. (Photo: Basic Income Switzerland)

 Someone who currently earns, say, $6,500 month would not receive any money from the government but $2,600 of it would not be taxed.

 For those getting welfare or other social benefits, payments of up to $2,600 a month would be replaced by the new basic income. Anything over this amount would continue to be provided as a separate payment and taxed accordingly.

 Theoretically, a family of two non-working adults and two children at home would be eligible for $6,500 a month, or $78,000 a year tax-free. That's nearly twice the after-tax income of a typical American family.

 The proposal has many critics. In a recent interview with Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, parliamentarian Raymond Clottu argued that the giveaway would "put at risk a system that motivates people to work and get training. So we should try to improve it, not bring in basic income which would destroy the motivation to work."

 He and other opponents also note that financing the scheme, estimated to cost about $200 billion a year, would strain the government’s coffers.

 The initiative’s backers say the plan would be funded, among other sources of revenue, by increasing Switzerland’s 8% value added tax.

 The government counters that other taxes would have to rise and spending slashed to afford such a generous giveaway.

 “Considerable cutbacks or tax rises would be necessary to finance this basic income, which could not replace today’s social security system entirely,” the government warns on its website, urging voters to reject the initiative.

 As the concept of basic income gets traction across Europe, could a similar policy be adopted in the U.S.?

 “Before it could be taken seriously, the middle class would need to experience far more job and wage loss than it has already,” Robert Reich, former U.S. secretary of Labor and now professor of public policy at the University of California, Berkeley, told USA TODAY.

 “Unfortunately, those losses are inevitable,” he added. “We'll have a serious discussion about a minimum basic income about a decade from now.”

 Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/26X2OQX ||||| Photo: Flickr

 The idea of granting every citizen a no-strings-attached universal basic income is still treated as a utopian idea in America. In Switzerland, they’re a month away from voting on it.

 The measure is not likely to pass! Still, it’s a notable step for the basic income movement. This appears to be the first time an entire nation will put the idea to a vote. The Swiss proposal would give “$2,600 a month tax-free to every adult citizen and legal resident, and $650 to each child.” The current proposal is also means-tested, meaning that those who earned more than $2,600 a month would not get the government stipend, although that part of their earnings would be tax-exempt. This makes it a not-quite universal basic income, but at least something within spitting distance of one.

 If you give children nothing it would be more affordable. Think about it. They can’t vote.

 This vote will probably fail, and it is thoroughly possible that the measure is not perfectly conceived anyhow. But with global economic leaders discussing “helicopter money” schemes and prominent people of all political persuasions arguing for basic income to counteract technology’s disruption of human jobs, a national vote feels like one more step on the road to legitimacy.

 I hope that this free money becomes real in my lifetime and NOT after. |||||


– The family of a gun instructor accidentally killed by a 9-year-old has a video message for the girl, Mediaite reports: "Our dad would want you to know that you should move forward with your life," says Charlie Vacca's 15-year-old daughter, Elizabeth. "You should not let this define you. You should love yourself, and love your family." Says son Christopher, 11: "We don't know your name, but we are connected by this tragedy … someday we hope we can meet you, hug you, and tell you that it's OK." Watch it here.

Expand this summary.

Read more about what to do following an accident here .

 Arizona’s Hearsay Exceptions 803(6) , Records of a Regularly Conducted Activity and 803(4) , Statement Made for Medical Diagnosis or Treatment are both hearsay exceptions that create the admissibility of Medical Records in court.

 Medical records are a crucial form of evidence because they can help establish the extent of a person’s injuries, and the amount of compensation they should demand. If you have been injured in the accident, make sure you receive medical treatment for your injuries as soon as possible. Seeing a medical professional is important to begin immediate treatment, as well as to document your injuries from an accident. Medical treatment and therapy may last much longer than you anticipate, so make sure that you preserve all medical records. Documents to preserve include:

 In some situations, facts in the police report may be admissible under Arizona Rules of Evidence Rule 803(8) , the public records exception to the hearsay rule. Reports made by government agents, such as police reports, are included in this exception. The full list of Arizona hearsay exceptions provides additional opportunities for evidence to be admitted.

 Not all out-of-court statements or assertions are considered hearsay. The statements of any parties to a case are admissible in Arizona personal injury cases, as is the case with all civil matters. The Federal Rules of Evidence, and the Arizona Rules of Evidence, outline various types of statements that are excluded by the Hearsay Rule, as well as exceptions to the Hearsay rule, and thus, may be heard and considered by a judge or jury.

 The reason these statements are usually inadmissible is because they are not made under oath, therefore, a judge or jury cannot personally observe the demeanor of the person making the statement. Additionally, the opposing party cannot cross-examine the person making the statement. If the statement is made out-of-court, a judge or jury does not have the ability to analyze the statement for ambiguity, insincerity, faulty perception or erroneous memory.

 A police report is usually inadmissible (not accepted as valid) in court because it is considered hearsay. The legal definition of hearsay is: “a statement made out of court that is offered in court as evidence to prove the truth of the matter asserted.” In other words, hearsay is any statement made outside the court that is offered in court to prove that the information in the statement is true. A statement may be considered written, oral or even a gesture.

 A police report may be used in your Phoenix personal injury settlement negotiations. If the police report indicates fault, it may be used as a settlement tool. The attorneys on the Lamber Goodnow team or their partner firms will corroborate and use information from the police report, as well as medical records, evidence of lost wages, explanations of loss of enjoyment and other important documents to draft a demand letter for the at-fault’s insurance company, demanding damages in order to make our client whole. The demand letter would summarize the facts of the case, describe the injury, provide evidence of loss and demand compensation for injuries.

 Once a police report has been created you may obtain one by requesting it from the police department. If you know which law enforcement agency came to the scene of the accident and prepared the report (state highway patrol, county sheriff), you may call the police department and obtain the records. Depending on the jurisdiction, there are also online record request services.

 When the police arrive at the scene they will create a police report. The police report will usually be an important piece of evidence in determining the cause of the accident, even though it is often inadmissible in court. A police report will contain helpful information such as the date, weather conditions, time and location of the personal injury incident. It will also often contain the name, telephone numbers and statements of others involved in the accident, or any witnesses to the accident, which may prove invaluable when trying to prove fault. Additionally, the report will have the officer’s initial assessment of fault. This will include the officer’s written narrative of the details and causes of the accident, and usually includes a diagram.

 Under ARS § 28-666, the driver of a vehicle involved in an accident that results in injury to or death of a personal shall give notice immediately to either the local police department, county sheriff or nearest highway patrol.

 The Arizona Judicial Branch understands the importance of digital evidence; consequently, it has established the Task Force On Court Management of Digital Evidence by Administrative Order 2016-129 in order to develop policies for court management of digital evidence.

 In the digital age, the evidence preservation process has become important in civil litigation and personal injury cases. In the criminal arena, police would seize evidence, seal it in plastic bags, label it, and sign it in to a locked evidence room until its presentation at the trial. If the evidence were taken out for any reason, it would be noted in an evidence log. In the civil arena, however, evidence can be both electronic and physical. The stages of electronic discovery in civil litigation are: identification, preservation, collection, processing, review, analysis, production and presentation of evidence at a trial. Examples of non-electronic evidence in a personal injury case may include: photos of the accident scene, photos of vehicles, physical vehicle parts, natural contributors to an accident such as a tree branch, police reports, medical records and personal notes about the accident.

 Chain of custody refers to the paper trail, or chronological documentation, showing the seizure, custody, control, transfer and analysis of physical, or electronic evidence. The process is important to show that the evidence gathered is legally acceptable to courts and government agencies. It is important to be able to show that the evidence collected at an accident scene has not been altered, hidden, or destroyed, and that it accurately reflects the actual events that occurred.

 It is important to recover physical evidence immediately after an accident because, if it is not preserved or photographed in the first few days, it may get modified by time, the weather, lost, destroyed or repaired. It is also important that you work with an attorney to catalog its location once stored to ensure what’s called the “chain of custody” and future admissibility.

 Physical evidence may be very helpful to show who was at fault in an accident. Some examples of physical evidence include:

 Although there are many different types of relevant evidence, some examples include:

 What to Do After an Accident The days immediately following an accident are often the most important for finding and preserving evidence of what occurred. It is vital that relevant evidence be gathered, identified and catalogued. Phoenix-based accident cases that go to trial typically end up being heard in Maricopa County Superior Court or Arizona Federal District Court . Both courts have complex rules of evidence that determine what a jury will ultimately hear. Although each piece of evidence must be looked at on its own, there are steps that can be taken early in a case to ensure that a jury has the opportunity to examine all relevant evidence.

 Our Phoenix personal injury attorneysF believe in and regularly utilize technology to advance our clients’ cases. High-tech tools such as Virtual Reality , 3D printing , iPad Pros, Google Glass and Apple watches allow our attorneys and clients to communicate seamlessly and efficiently. This use of technology was noticed by Apple, which selected us to be the first legal team ever profiled on its website. In a cover story, The American Bar Association (ABA) Journal named Lamber and Goodnow two of the “ Techiest Lawyers in America .”

 Our efforts have resulted in industry-wide recognition. Our cases and lawyers have been featured on CNN, MSNBC, Today, NBC News, CBS News, ABC News, Fox News and many more (see media clips here ). U.S. News and Best Lawyers® have named the Lamber Goodnow team a “Best Law Firm,” while Avvo® has given Lamber and Goodnow 10/10 ratings. We have also been named the #1 personal injury law team by Attorney at Law Magazine (Greater Phoenix edition), a top three personal injury law firm by the Arizona Republic/AZ Central Reader’s Choice, North Valley Magazine top five personal injury lawyers and Arizona Law Firm of the Year.

 Our Phoenix personal injury attorneys believe in taking a proactive look at the law. This involves leaving no stone unturned as we investigate what caused an accident, how we can seek justice under the law for our clients, and what we can do to prevent the particular accident from happening again. In some cases, this even involves pursuing legislation to try and keep other people safe.

 The Lamber Goodnow Injury Law Team is a Phoenix-based group of Phoenix personal injury lawyers and legal professionals committed to helping accident victims and their families. We innovate, work hard, and fight for our clients because it matters to us. Every member of our team is passionate about helping people. It’s what drives us.

 Arizona Personal Injury Laws

 Statute of Limitations Rules for Personal Injury Cases in Arizona

 In Arizona, a personal injury case is a legal dispute that may arise when one person suffers harm from an injury or an accident and someone else might be legally responsible for that harm. A personal injury case is formalized through civil court proceedings, which seek to find someone legally at fault through a court judgment; however, a more common resolution is an informal settlement before a lawsuit has been filed. There are many different types of accidents and ways that people may get hurt. Here is a list of some Arizona laws that Phoenix personal injury lawyers commonly use:

 Statute of Limitations - Injury to Person-Two Years (ARS § 12-542)

 Limits on Damages - Prohibited (Article 2, Section 31 Arizona State Const.)

 Other Limits - Comparative Fault System (ARS § 12-2501)

 Notice of Accident - Required (ARS § 28-666)

 Arizona Auto Insurance - Mandatory (ARS § 28-4009)

 Negligence - Pure Comparative Negligence (ARS § 12-2505)

 Wrongful Death - Liability (ARS § 12-611)

 Product Liability - Liability (ARS § 12-551)

 Premises Liability - Injuries Resulting from Condition of Property (Premises Liability Instruction No. 1, RAJI (5th))

 Consult with a lawyer to learn more about the applicable statute of limitations that could apply to your injury or wrongful death case.

 Arizona Minimum Insurance Requirements

 Arizona operates under a traditional “tort” vehicle insurance model. This means that drivers who are involved in a vehicle accident have several options for recovery, including: file a claim with their own auto insurance company, file a claim with the at-fault driver’s auto insurance company, or file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver.

 Insurance is extremely important because it protects a person, or entity, from extreme financial loss due to an accident. Under ARS § 28-4009, drivers must carry liability insurance with at least the following amounts of coverage:

 $15,000 per person for bodily injury or death

 $30,000 per accident for two or more persons’ injuries or death, and

 $10,000 for property damage or destruction

 The insurance amounts for bodily injury or death liability cover costs if you are involved in an accident and you are considered to be at fault. Additionally, the property damage amount pays for the damage or destruction caused to someone else’s property.

 In Arizona, underinsured liability coverage and uninsured liability coverage are not mandatory. However, ARS § 20-259.01 requires that every insurer writing an automobile liability or motor vehicle liability policy offer, in writing, uninsured and underinsured coverage to their insureds in an amount equal to the insured’s liability coverage. If the insureds reject this coverage, insurers must prove compliance with the statute by having their insureds sign a Department of Insurance (“DOI”) approved form selecting or rejecting such coverage.

 Accident Victims Beware: Arizona Healthcare Provider Liens and Insurance Reimbursement in Personal Injury Cases

 One of the least understood areas of Arizona personal injury matters is healthcare provider liens and health insurance reimbursement. In Phoenix, virtually every major hospital and healthcare provider automatically files healthcare provider liens with the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office in cases where patients are admitted because of a car accident. Many accident victims don’t realize that these liens are filed even when they have insurance for the balance between what is paid by health insurance and the amount the hospital claims is their actual, “full” rate. In Arizona, this is called a “balance lien.” Other healthcare providers may file these types of liens as well.

 Healthcare liens are governed by ARS § 33-931 through ARS § 33-936. The statutes essentially provide a mechanism for healthcare providers to impose a lien against an injured person’s third party personal injury claim. This remedy however, is limited. Injured parties must have an underlying and outstanding obligation to a healthcare provider for the services related to the third party claim. Furthermore, if an insurance company has satisfied the obligation, such as paying the bills in full, the lien must be released.[1]

 It’s important to note that these accident liens do not attach to anything other than any recovery you might receive in your claim. The lien does not apply to your home, your car, or your wages. And you only have to pay it if you recover money, and they are generally capped at the amount of your recovery. Healthcare provider liens only secure a provider’s “customary charges” for lien related services. These “customary charges” act as a cap. The cap “prevents the lien from being an amount greater than what the provider typically charges other patients for the services that it provided to the injured party.”[2]

 Just because a lien is filed, doesn’t mean that’s the end of the story. In many cases, these liens can be negotiated or waived. Legal and equitable arguments exist that can reduce these amounts. Some of the more common arguments include:

 The healthcare provider did not perfect their lien by timely recording the lien in the office of the county recorder in the county where the healthcare provider is located.[3] There are different timing requirements depending on what type of provider is attempting to perfect the lien.

 The healthcare provider did not include “a statement regarding whether the patient’s treatment has been terminated or will be continued.”[4]

 Healthcare provider liens do not extend to claims for health insurance and underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage.[5]

 The lien amounts were erroneous or exceed the “customary charges.”[6]

 The care, treatment or transportation which gave rise to the charges, was not medically necessary.[7]

 The care, treatment or transportation was not causally related to the event, giving rise to the claim to which the lien extends.

 In addition to healthcare providers, most major health insurance plans have the right to reimbursement for personal injury claims. Reimbursement clauses provide that insurers may be paid back for amounts they pay on your behalf if you are involved in a car accident.

 The issue is complicated, however, because Arizona is an anti-subrogation state which provides that an assignment of personal injury cause of action is prohibited.[8] An anti-subrogation law precludes a person or entity from stepping in to take over the rights and remedies of another. For large self-funded ERISA plans, however, federal law on the subject preempts state law. For these large plans, federal law provides that reimbursement is permissible in accident and injury cases where there is a recovery.

 Again, just because your health insurance company claims it’s owed money doesn’t always make it so. In many cases, the first step your Phoenix injury lawyer will take is to ensure that the plan is in fact self-funded under ERISA guidelines.

 Where Do Accident Victims File Personal Injury Cases in Arizona?

 In Phoenix, as in most jurisdictions in the United States, the majority of personal injury cases do not go to trial. At the Lamber Goodnow team, our goal is to frontload matters to get cases resolved for accident victims and their families prior to going to court. In some cases, however, court is necessary.

 For Phoenix-based injury and wrongful death cases, plaintiffs generally have the option of filing in two different courts: state or federal.

 State Court System

 Maricopa County Superior Court: Most Phoenix-based personal injury cases start in Maricopa County Superior Court. The general jurisdiction court is the Superior Court of Arizona, a statewide trial court. It is a single entity with locations in each county. Each county has at least one superior court judge. In counties with more than one superior court judge, the judges operate in numbered divisions. The superior court acts as an appellate court for justice and municipal courts. To qualify to be a superior court judge, one must be at least 30 years old, of good moral character and admitted to the practice of law in Arizona and a resident of Arizona for the five years immediately before taking office. This court hears the widest variety of cases and keeps permanent records of court proceedings. Maricopa County Superior Court has the largest number of judges in Arizona.

 Arizona Court of Appeals, Division 1: Arizona appellate courts have jurisdiction to review trials and decisions appealed to them. Arizona has two appellate courts: the court of appeals is the intermediate appellate court and the Supreme Court is the court of last resort. The court of appeals has two divisions: Division One in Phoenix (16 judges) and Division Two in Tucson (six judges). The court of appeals hears and decides cases in three judge panels, has jurisdiction in all matters properly appealed from the superior court and reviews all decisions properly appealed to it. A court of appeals judge must be at least 30 years old, of good moral character, admitted to the practice of law in Arizona and a resident of Arizona for the five years immediately before taking office. Most appeals come from the superior court, except for death penalty appeals and some cases involving elected officials and disputes between counties, which go directly to the Supreme Court. After a case concludes (or before then in special circumstances), the losing party may appeal to the Arizona state appellate court.

 Arizona Supreme Court: To appeal a decision from the court of appeals, the appellant must file a Petition for Review requesting a Supreme Court hearing. The Supreme Court judges, known as justices, evaluate the petitions for review and decide whether they will review the case. Unlike the court of appeals, the Supreme Court is not required to hear every appeal. The Arizona Supreme Court takes up issues regarding personal injury and wrongful death matters with regularity.

 In order for a case to successfully go to trial in Arizona, the plaintiff’s Phoenix personal injury attorney must:

 1. File a document (complaint) with the clerk of the court stating the reasons why the plaintiff is suing the defendant, and what action the plaintiff wants the court to take.

 2. State whether the case is eligible for arbitration according to court rule. If the parties agree to arbitration, they are agreeing to meet with an impartial third party before going to trial, where they will discuss the issues in dispute and accept the arbiter’s decision.

 3. Deliver (serve) a copy of the complaint and a summons to the defendant.

 4. File a written answer admitting or denying the statements in the complaint.

 5. Exchange information about the personal injury case. This is called discovery.

 6. The case is tried before a jury or a judge.

 7. The judge makes a decision, or the jury gives its verdict, based on the testimony and other evidence presented during trial. The Arizona Constitution and ARS § 21-102 state that a civil jury shall consist of eight persons, and the concurrence of all but two shall be necessary to render a verdict.

 8. The losing party may appeal the decision to the next higher level of the court.

 To find an Arizona court in your county click here.

 Federal Court System

 In some cases, residents of Phoenix also have the option of filing their personal injury case in federal court. The United States District Court for the District of Arizona is the federal court for Arizona and is part of the Ninth Circuit. The District was established on June 20, 1910, pending Arizona statehood on February 14, 1912. This is the sole federal judicial district in Arizona. There are court locations in Phoenix, Tucson, Yuma, Flagstaff and Prescott.

 If you file in federal court your case would initially be heard by a district court. There are 94 district courts in the nation. A district judge will hear the case and a jury will decide the case. Unlike state court, however, a federal court jury may range from a minimum of six to twelve members and unless the parties stipulate otherwise, the verdict must be unanimous.[9]

 A court of appeals hears challenges to district court decisions from courts located within its circuit, as well as appeals from decisions of federal administrative agencies. There are 13 appellate courts that sit below the U.S. Supreme Court. The appeals courts consist of three judges and do not use a jury.

 The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States. Article III of the United States Constitution created the Supreme Court and authorized Congress to pass laws establishing a lower system of courts. The Supreme Court hears cases appealed from lower federal courts, cases that are appealed from state supreme courts and cases between state governments.

 In order to have a viable claim in federal court, the court must have jurisdiction to hear the matter. It is important to find a Phoenix personal injury lawyer that knows the requirements to file in federal court. A federal court has jurisdiction over a matter if there is a federal question or if it is a diversity of citizenship case. 28 US Code § 1331 states that federal question jurisdiction means that the court may hear matters arising under the Constitution, federal law or treaty. Diversity cases empower the federal court to hear controversies between parties who are citizens of different states. 28 U.S. Code § 1332 states that in order to have a viable diversity case:

 1. The amount in controversy must exceed the value of $75,000, and

 2. The parties in the case must be citizens of different states.

 If the parties in the case are citizens of different states this means that there is complete diversity. A person’s state of citizenship is determined by a person’s domicile. Domicile is the state in which the person is physically present and in which they intend to remain permanently.

 Additionally, Supreme Court justices, court of appeals judges and district court judges are nominated by the President and confirmed by the United States Senate, as stated in the United States Constitution Article II Section 2.

 Arizona also has Justice and City courts. However, these courts do not hear personal injury matters. Your Phoenix personal injury lawyer should review all aspects of your case and determine whether you should file your case in state or federal court.

 As a practical matter, Phoenix-based accident victim lawyers often choose to file personal injury matters in Maricopa County Superior Court because they do not then have the burden of needing a unanimous jury to win.

 [1] Abbott v. Banner Health Network, 236 Ariz. 436, 444 ¶ 23, 341 P.3d 478, 486 (App. 2014), reversed on other grounds.

 [2] Midwest Neurosurgery, P.C. v. State Farm Ins. Cos., 686 N.W.2d 572, 579 (Neb. 2004).

 [3] Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-932(A).

 [4] Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-932(B).

 [5] Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-931(A).

 [6] Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-934(B).

 [7] Id.

 [8] Allstate Ins. Co. v. Druke, 576 P.2d 489 (Ariz. 1978).

 [9] Fed. R. Civ. P. 48(a)-(b). ||||| The four children of Charles Vacca, the gun instructor who was killed when a nine-year-old girl lost control of an uzi at an Arizona gun range last month, released a video message Monday to the unnamed girl.

 “We don’t know your name, but we are connected by this tragedy,” Vacca’s 11-year-old son Christopher said in the video, which was released by the family’s legal counsel.

 RELATED: Scarborough Loses It: Founders Didn’t Write 2nd Amendment for 9 Year Olds

 “Our dad would want you to know that you should move forward with your life,” Vacca’s 15-year-old daughter Elizabeth said. “You should not let this define you. You should love yourself – and love your family.”

 “Some day we hope that we can meet you, hug you, and tell you that it’s okay,” Christopher said.

 Attorney James Goodnow appeared at the end of the video, saying that the family was cognizant of the “broader national discussion” over gun culture induced by the incident, but that the family hoped it would not overshadow the personal tragedy, both for the Vacca family and for the nine-year-old.

 Watch the video below, via Lamber Goodnow:

 [Image via screengrab]

 ——

 >> Follow Evan McMurry (@evanmcmurry) on Twitter

 Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.com |||||


An atomic bomb explosion (U.S. Air Force/AP)

 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has rescheduled a teaching session on the public health response to a nuclear blast that was to take place Tuesday.

 The session was to feature presentations from U.S. experts on public health preparedness and response and radiation, including one titled “Preparing for the Unthinkable.” It was planned months ago as part of a regular series of monthly webinars the CDC called Public Health Grand Rounds, officials said.

 But media interest in the topic was unusually strong, given the escalating tensions between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and their most recent war of words over which leader has the larger nuclear arsenal and bigger “nuclear button.” About three dozen media outlets had expressed interest in attending the session, which is broadcast from CDC’s headquarters in Atlanta. The initial CDC announcement featured a photograph of the distinctive mushroom cloud from a nuclear blast.

 On Friday afternoon, the agency said it was changing the topic to influenza and took down the mushroom cloud photo and the announcement about public health responses to a nuclear blast.

 “With the spike in flu cases around the country, this Grand Rounds will provide key and timely information for public health professionals on how to reduce the spread of seasonal flu in communities and adjust to spot shortages in antiviral drugs because of high influenza activity in some areas,” the CDC said. “The previous public health topic will be rescheduled for a future Grand Rounds.”

 Public Health Grand Rounds are held to give the most up-to-date, scientifically accurate information to clinicians, researchers and others working in public health.

 CDC’s initial announcement about the originally planned topic had described the session like this:

 “While a nuclear detonation is unlikely, it would have devastating results and there would be limited time to take critical protection steps,” the CDC website noted. “Despite the fear surrounding such an event, planning and preparation can lessen deaths and illness. For instance, most people don’t realize that sheltering in place for at least 24 hours is crucial to saving lives and reducing exposure to radiation.

 “While federal, state and local agencies will lead the immediate response efforts, public health will play a key role in responding.”

 Read more:

 CDC says flu is now widespread across the county, and it’s not going away anytime soon

 Trump to North Korean leader Kim: My ‘nuclear button’ is ‘much bigger & more powerful’

 CDC scientists pursue deadly monkeypox virus in Africa ||||| The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has decided to postpone its session on nuclear attack preparedness next week. Much attention had been drawn to the timing of the agency’s session, which was publicized just days after President Trump touted the size of his nuclear button compared with North Korea’s.

 Late Friday afternoon, the C.D.C. announced that it had changed its mind about next Tuesday’s topic, making a last-minute revision to reflect concerns about cases of severe flu.

 “To date, this influenza season is notable for the sheer volume of flu that most of the United States is seeing at the same time, which can stress health systems,” the agency said. “The vast majority of this activity has been caused by influenza A H3N2, associated with severe illness in young children and people 65 years and older.”

 Kathy Harben, a spokeswoman for the agency, said the Tuesday session would now address guidance for health professionals on trying to reduce the spread of the flu and to help with shortages of antiviral medicines in some hard-hit areas. |||||
What is a one-paragraph summary of the above article?

– Fear the flu, not the bomb. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday announced that a session on nuclear attack preparedness scheduled for Tuesday will be postponed to an unspecified date, with the session's topic switching to flu and what can be done to stem its spread. "To date, this influenza season is notable for the sheer volume of flu that most of the United States is seeing at the same time, which can stress health systems," the CDC explained, per the New York Times. The session was originally to feature officials from all levels of government discussing US preparations for a nuclear blast, with presentations on "Preparing for the Unthinkable" and "Roadmap to Radiation Preparedness." The Times notes that the CDC made no mention of whether the delay was at all influenced by the outsize interest in the session, which was announced shortly after President Trump's tweet about nuclear-button size. The Washington Post reports the sessions are part of a larger monthly webinar series called Public Health Grand Rounds, and notes that roughly three dozen media outlets had shared interest in covering the session at the CDC's Atlanta HQ. (This 21-year-old thought rest could take care of the flu; he died days later.)