One of Flint’s former emergency managers appears ready to head to trial on charges related to the city’s water crisis.
Today, Gerald Ambrose waived a preliminary exam on the charges against him, which include conspiracy, misconduct in office and willful neglect of duty. That clears the way to send his case to trial.
The Flint Journal reports that prosecutors and an attorney for Ambrose didn't specify why the hearing was waived, but it could speed resolution of the case.
When exactly Gerald Ambrose could find himself on trial in a circuit court is unclear.
Ambrose would be the first of 15 current and former government officials charged in connection with the Flint water crisis to face trial.
Four of the 15 defendants have cut plea deals, receiving lesser sentences in exchange for their cooperation. It’s possible Ambrose could do so as well.
In addition to his time as emergency manager, Ambrose assisted three previous Flint emergency managers with running the city’s finances. Ambrose’s tenure at Flint city hall spanned not only the city’s switch from Detroit’s water system to the Flint River, but also the period when the decision was made to hook the city up to the KWA pipeline.
