TRIAL FOR SCHOOL SHOOTER'S PARENTS UNDER WAY

By Bob Walsh

 

Ethan Crumbley shot a bunch of people at his high school in Oxford, Michigan back in November of 2021.  James and Jennifer are his parents.  They have pleaded NOT GUILTY in an interesting and likely precedent-setting case of manslaughter for buying the clearly disturbed teenager the gun used to kill four and wound several more.

Prosecutors are emphasizing the fact that the parents were present at the school for a conference just hours before the shooting.  The school was concerned about Ethan's behavior.  They neglected to mention that they had just bought him a gun and took no efforts to secure the weapon unless they were available to supervise it's use.  He actually had the gun at the school in his backpack at the time of the conference.  

It is expected the defense will argue that the parents could not reasonably foresee that their nutter kid would use the gun to shoot a bunch of people.  I have some doubts that will fly.  The prosecution is focusing on what the parents did NOT do to mitigate risk.  That may be much harder to convince a jury of rather than having legal liability attach to affirmative, specific actions.  

Ethan was 15 at the time of the shooting.  He copped to terrorism causing death, four counts of murder and 19 other felony charges.  He is now doing life without.  

Each parent is being tried separately.  Opening statements will probably be made today  in Jennifer's trial.  They face the possibility of 15 years as guests of the people if convicted.  Both parents have been held in jail since their arrest.