- Jury selection has begun in the trial of Jennifer Crumbley, the mother of the Michigan school shooter, who is charged in connection with the November 2021 attack that left four students dead.
- Jennifer and her husband James Crumbley are facing four counts of involuntary manslaughter, a rare occurrence for parents in mass shooting cases.
- Prosecutors have presented evidence of warning signs and alleged negligence on the part of the Crumbleys, including texts and an uncovered note before the shooting.
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- Manslaughter trial begins for mother of Michigan school shooter (abcnews.go.com)
Jury selection has begun in the trial of Jennifer Crumbley, the mother of Ethan Crumbley, the Michigan school shooter. Jennifer Crumbley is being charged for her alleged involvement in the November 2021 attack at Oxford High School that resulted in the death of four students and injured seven others.
Jennifer Crumbley, along with her husband James Crumbley, has been charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter in relation to the attack. It is uncommon for parents to be charged in connection with their child’s mass shooting.
The process of selecting a jury is expected to take up to three days.
In December 2021, Jennifer and James Crumbley pleaded not guilty to the four counts. They were captured in Detroit after an extensive search when they failed to turn themselves in for their scheduled arraignment, as confirmed by law enforcement officials.
Ethan Crumbley, who was 15 years old at the time of the shooting, was sentenced to life without parole in December after pleading guilty to 24 charges, including first-degree premeditated murder and terrorism causing death.
Jennifer and James Crumbley were allowed by the Michigan Court of Appeals to have separate trials for their alleged involvement in the shooting. James Crumbley’s trial is set to begin on March 5, according to court records.
The Michigan Supreme Court denied an appeal made on behalf of James and Jennifer Crumbley, who claimed there was insufficient evidence to put them on trial, in October.
The parents are accused of giving Ethan Crumbley access to the gun used in the shooting and not recognizing warning signs.
Prosecutors revealed that a teacher had witnessed Ethan Crumbley researching ammunition in class a few days before the shooting. The school contacted his parents, but they did not respond. Jennifer Crumbley texted her son, saying, “lol, I’m not mad at you, you have to learn not to get caught,” according to prosecutors.
Prior to the shooting, a teacher reportedly found a note on Ethan Crumbley’s desk containing a drawing of a semi-automatic handgun pointing at the words, “The thoughts won’t stop, help me.” Another portion of the note depicted a bullet with the words “Blood everywhere” above it.
Upon being called to the school, the Crumbleys assured that their son would receive counseling but did not take him home, according to prosecutors.
During his guilty plea hearing in October 2022, Ethan Crumbley admitted to asking his father to buy him a specific gun and confirming that he gave him money for it. It was also revealed that the semi-automatic handgun was not kept in a locked safe.
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- Manslaughter trial begins for mother of Michigan school shooter (abcnews.go.com)