Flint City Councilman Eric Mays Finally Laid To Rest After Legal Dispute

Eric Mays, a longtime councilman on behalf of Flint, Michigan, was finally laid to rest on March 23. His funeral occurred nearly a month after his death due to legal dispute over his body’s handling.

His son, also named Eric, filed a lawsuit against Lawrence E. Moon Funeral home despite his elder relatives contacting the company, per Mid-Michigan Now. The younger Mays lost the legal battle, with a judge determining that he did not contact the funeral home within a legal 72-hour window. By not doing so, he forfeited the rights over the body’s handlings.

However, the funeral home ultimately surrendered the rights of the late councilman’s body to his son. The funeral then proceeded despite the weeks-long delay.

Mays was first elected to the city council in 2013, serving in the position until his death on Feb. 24. According to M Live, he was a “polarizing and strong-willed” member of the council. Fellow councilwoman, Tonya Burns, spoke of his fierceness on behalf of his community.

“Mays wasn’t afraid to speak his truth,” expressed Tonya Burns. “He let everyone know he was a Black man from the north side of Flint…Councilman Mays brought attention to the courts of local government, especially urban areas with a Black population. Councilman Mays fought for labor unions, the Flint water crisis, the House of Esther and more.”

Mays emerged as one of the Flint’s first elected officials to acknowledge its water crisis, using his platform to spread awareness on the issue alongside local advocates. Prior to his death, he was serving a 90-day suspension for misconduct and use of “racist rhetoric” during a December 2023 special meeting. He died while fighting against the order.

Throughout his tenure, clashes with other Flint lawmakers led to his lawsuits against current Mayor Sheldon Neely, as well as its police chief and fellow council members. He sought to run for mayor in three different election cycles, his last being in 2022. Mays’ catchphrase of “Point of Order” garnered him popularity beyond Flint on social media.

While his controversies often made local headlines, his dedication to his city and his community was undeniable. He died at 65, and laid to rest at Sunset Hills Cemetery in his beloved Flint.

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