- Michigan jury convicts Jennifer Crumbley of manslaughter in the Oxford High School shooting, making her the first parent to be charged and convicted in connection to a school shooting perpetrated by their child.
- Crumbley purchased a firearm for her son and ignored warning signs of his disturbing behavior, leading to the attack that claimed the lives of four classmates.
- Defense argues that Crumbley was a vigilant mother who deferred to her husband regarding firearms, blames the school for not sharing concerns about her son’s behavior, while prosecution highlights her negligence and unusual behavior following the shooting.
Additional Coverage:
- Ethan Crumbley’s mother Jennifer convicted of manslaughter in historic Michigan school shooting trial (newsbreak.com)
A Michigan jury has convicted Jennifer Crumbley of manslaughter in the Oxford High School shooting. Crumbley, the mother of the shooter, had purchased a firearm for her son and disregarded warning signs of his disturbing behavior prior to the attack. The verdict was reached after more than 10 hours of deliberation. Crumbley had pleaded not guilty to four counts of involuntary manslaughter for the deaths of four classmates. Her son, Ethan Crumbley, had previously been sentenced to life in prison without parole for the shooting.
This historic verdict marks the first time a parent has been charged, tried, and convicted for their alleged role in a school shooting perpetrated by their child. Jennifer Crumbley showed no emotion as the verdict was read out in court. Throughout the trial, the prosecution argued that she ignored her son’s deteriorating mental state and made the gun used in the attack easily accessible in their home.
The defense claimed that Crumbley was a vigilant mother who cared deeply for her son and argued that she deferred to her husband regarding firearms, including the storage of the handgun. They also blamed the school for not sharing concerns about Ethan’s behavior with his mother. A crucial aspect of the case was the meeting between the Crumbley parents and school officials shortly before the shooting, where they decided Ethan should remain in school.
During the trial, a videotaped interview with police was played, in which Crumbley admitted that she wished they had taken her son home. The prosecution also highlighted Crumbley’s extramarital affair and her involvement in an adultery website, portraying her as distracted and neglectful.
Following the shooting, the Crumbley parents exhibited unusual behavior, including checking into a hotel, withdrawing large amounts of cash, and purchasing burner phones. They were eventually arrested at a friend’s studio after a manhunt.
In closing arguments, the prosecution emphasized that Crumbley could have taken steps to prevent the shooting, such as locking the gun away or taking her son home. The defense argued that Crumbley could not have anticipated the events that transpired and questioned the extent of parental responsibility for their children’s actions.
During her testimony, Crumbley expressed the difficulty of accepting that her son had harmed and killed others and stated that she wished he had killed her instead.