Michigan mayor dismissed from lawsuit over city’s handling of lead in water

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. (AP) — The mayor of Benton Harbor, Michigan, has been dismissed from a lawsuit that accuses him of mismanaging problems with lead-contaminated water. A federal appeals court reversed a decision by a lower court and said Mayor Marcus Muhammad has governmental immunity. The court says Benton Harbor’s response “was far from perfect” but the mayor didn’t act with deliberate indifference. For three straight years, tests of Benton Harbor’s water system revealed high lead levels in water. Lead can be especially harmful to young children. Lead pipes in Benton Harbor have been replaced.