CNN
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Opening statements in the manslaughter trial of James Crumbley, the father of a teenage boy who killed four students at a Michigan high school in 2021, come shortly after his wife Jennifer was convicted of the same crime. It started a few weeks later on a Thursday.
James Crumbley is charged with manslaughter for the Nov. 30, 2021, shooting at Oxford High School in which his son Ethan killed four students and injured six students and a teacher. He pleaded not guilty in the case. James Crumbley could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
Prosecutors seeking to expand liability in mass shootings say the shooter's parents are responsible for the death because they bought a gun for their son and ignored signs of mental health problems. This is an unusual and innovative legal strategy.
Oakland County Assistant Prosecutor Mark Keast said Thursday that James Crumbley was “grossly negligent” for purchasing the murder weapon for his son and failing to secure it despite knowing that the son was in a downward spiral. He said there was. statement.
No parent is responsible for everything a child does, he says. “However, in a situation where the father was in a position to reasonably foresee what his son was going to do, he armed his son four days in advance and gave clear indications of what his son was going to do. That was the time because it had been.'' There is an unusual set of circumstances in that particular set of facts. ”
“That nightmare was preventable and foreseeable,” Keast said.
For the defense, Marielle Lehmann admitted ignorance on her client's behalf, saying Crumbley did not know her son had access to the weapon and did not believe there was a threat of imminent danger. .
“You're not going to hear that James Crumbley knew what his son was going to do,” she says. “You won't hear that James Crumbley even suspected his son was dangerous.”
Jury selection will take place Tuesday and Wednesday, with lawyers asking prospective jurors whether they would be fair and impartial in a high-profile case and questioning their beliefs about guns, parenting and mental health. Ta. A final jury of six men and nine women will be selected, and before deliberations, the judge will randomly divide the jury group into 12 jurors and three alternates.
Parents have been held responsible for the actions of their children in the past, including child neglect and firearms charges, but this is the first parent in a school shooting to be held directly responsible for the murder of Jennifer Crumbley. 's incident was the first.
The case against James Crumbley will likely be identical to the case against his wife, featuring testimony from shooting survivors, police investigators and school officials.
However, there are some important differences between the two cases, particularly in their respective parents' expertise with firearms and their knowledge of Ethan's mental health issues. Additionally, this is a completely different trial, with different juries, evidentiary verdicts, and legal strategies.
The Crumbleys' son, Ethan, pleaded guilty to one count of terrorism causing death, four counts of murder, and 19 other charges related to the deadly rampage. He was sentenced last year to life in prison without parole. He did not testify at his mother's trial because his mother's lawyer said he would exercise his Fifth Amendment right to remain silent if called.
Jennifer Crumbley's defense and prosecution have been prohibited from speaking publicly about her case until after James Crumbley's trial.
Compare and contrast the cases of the Crumbley parents
The basic facts and arguments presented in evidence at Jennifer's trial were almost the same for each parent.
Jennifer and James Crumbley gave their 15-year-old son a gun as an early Christmas present and took him to the range many times.
According to Ethan's writings and diaries, both men ignored his mental health issues and requests for help.
On the morning of the shooting, the pair noticed that Ethan had drawn disturbing pictures on his worksheet, including a gun, a bleeding figure, and the phrases “I can't stop thinking” and “There's blood everywhere.” . Then, on the same day, both men attended an important meeting with the school counselor, during which they refused to take their son home from school and did not mention his son's new gun or mental health issues. Ethan had secretly hidden a gun in his backpack, and less than two hours after the meeting, he pulled it out and fired at his schoolmates.
Eventually, after the shooting, the two fled town and a manhunt began that ended in a late-night Detroit warehouse raid.
However, there are some important differences. As an example, James was a parent who purchased a SIG Sauer 9mm gun for his son at a shooting range on Black Friday, and was also the registered owner of the firearm, according to the receipt. He was also knowledgeable about firearms, and his wife said he was responsible for the security of all three weapons in his home. “It was more about him, so I left it to him,” she testified.
Second, the case relies heavily on what the parents knew about Ethan's mental health issues, and some evidence from Jennifer's text messages may not apply to James. For example, Jennifer was the parent who learned from school officials the day before the shooting that Ethan was looking for ammunition on his cell phone. She then sent a message to her son saying: You have to learn not to get caught,” according to the text recording.
How much did James know about this and other incidents? Are there any texts to prove it?
“(Jennifer's) case lived and died by foreseeability. Was this foreseeable?” Trial attorney Misty Mullis, who is not involved in the case, said: He told CNN he has been watching them closely. “Who knows what and when it will happen is very important to it (predictability).”
Third, at Jennifer's trial, prosecutors portrayed Jennifer as a careless mother and introduced evidence of her infidelity and deep interest in horses.Possibly evidence of James' personal problems Probably not.
There are also potential differences in James' legal strategy and whether he will testify.
At trial, Jennifer Crumbley's defense placed blame on her husband for failing to secure a firearm, the school for failing to notify her of Ethan's problematic behavior, and her son for planning and carrying out the brutal shooting. On her witness stand, she dismissed the email that her son was hallucinating as a joke on her part, and she made it clear she had no remorse for her actions.
“I asked myself what I would have done differently, and I wouldn't have done it,” she testified.
