The Michigan Supreme Court has made history by allowing the charges against James and Jennifer Crumbley to proceed. The couple, who are the parents of the Oxford school shooter, will now face trial for their alleged involvement in the deaths of four students, who were tragically murdered by their son in 2021.
This case marks a significant milestone as it is the first instance in America where parents have been charged in connection with a mass school shooting. Prosecutors are aiming to hold them accountable for their actions, which include purchasing the gun used in the massacre for their son, as well as failing to inform the school about the weapon when they were called in regarding their son’s concerning behavior.
Background
Prior to the shooting, Ethan Crumbley, on the morning of the incident, sketched a gun and a depiction of a bleeding human body on his math worksheet. He accompanied this drawing with a distressing plea, writing the words, “The thoughts won’t stop. Help me.”
Ethan’s drawing
When the school authorities discovered the disturbing drawing, they called Ethan’s parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley.
After the school meeting, the Crumbleys returned to their jobs without disclosing the fact that they had purchased a gun for their son. They had made promises to seek help for him but failed to mention their firearm ownership.
Approximately two hours later, Ethan Crumbley emerged from a restroom and carried out a shooting spree in the school hallways. Tragically, this act resulted in the loss of four students’ lives and caused injuries to seven others, including a teacher.
Ethan has pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him.
“While the shooter was the one who entered the high school and pulled the trigger, there (were) other individuals who contributed to the events on Nov. 30, and it’s my intention to hold them accountable as well,” Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said two days after the shooting, referring to the Crumbleys.
However, the defense argued against the charges, claiming that they were excessive and unjustified. They contended that such charges could establish a perilous precedent, potentially holding parents responsible for their children’s actions, which could have far-reaching implications for parents everywhere.
“Of course, the desire to hold someone accountable for the tragedy that occurred at Oxford High School on November 30, 2021, is certainly understandable, but ‘the temptation to stretch the law to fit the evil is an ancient one, and it must be resisted,’ ” defense attorney Shannon Smith argued in prior court filings.
The defense has consistently asserted that the district judge who initially ruled to proceed with the trial against the Crumbleys abused her discretion. They argue that her decision to charge the couple was “clearly erroneous,” and that it establishes a hazardous precedent that could lead to injustices.
The Crumbleys took their case to the Michigan Supreme Court, asserting that the prosecution lacked evidence to demonstrate that they were responsible for the deaths of the students. They argued that the sole individual accountable for the tragic events was their son, who had already pleaded guilty to the murders the previous year.
“Certainly, after every school shooting, the media and those affected are quick to point to so-called ‘red flags’ that were missed by those in the shooter’s life. But the truth of the matter is, one cannot predict the unimaginable,” attorney Mariell Lehman, who is representing James Crumbley, wrote in her filing to the Supreme Court.
The Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office holds a contrary view, contending that the Crumbleys, above all others, possessed the ability to prevent the shooting if they had paid adequate attention to their son’s mental well-being. They allege that the boy was experiencing a rapid deterioration in his mental state but received no assistance from his parents.