![]() ![]() Nothing is ever served through such an approach.Īfter all, this “individual” explanation has not prevented any of the 230 plus school shootings that have taken place in the 21 years since the shooting at Columbine High School. The killer is described as “evil,” “unhinged,” “a monster,” with no thought given to what such events reveal about the society from which such individuals come. But while his parents doubtless bear moral responsibility for what took place, moral responsibility and criminal legal culpability are altogether different matters.Ĭan it truly be said that the parents should have known it was likely that their son would kill his classmates on that day, as is required for conviction under Michigan’s involuntary manslaughter statute? And what about the responsibility of the school administrators, who did not look in the boy’s backpack? Already the prosecution is discussing the possibility of bringing criminal charges against the school as well.Īs always after such events, the media and prosecutors search for individual blame. One fact in the prosecution’s explanation of the charges against the parents that Smith challenged at the arraignment was the claim that the murder weapon was left in an unlocked drawer at the Crumbley residence. How can the court insist that the parents are responsible for the murders committed by Ethan Crumbley, when he is not being afforded the protections available to juvenile offenders? But the decision of the Oakland County prosecutor to charge the parents with involuntary manslaughter for failing to stop their child from committing a horrible crime is inconsistent with charging their 15-year-old son as an adult. Ethan Crumbley committed a criminal act in taking the lives of four young people. What took place last week was a horrific event. Our clients are just as devastated as everyone else.” Smith said, “Our clients are going to fight these charges. Shannon Smith and Mariell Lehman, lawyers for the Crumbleys, argued that the prosecutor has “cherry-picked” the facts and that there is more involved than the court is aware. And these two individuals could have stopped it.” The prosecutor said that the parents had reason to know their son was dangerous, had given him the murder weapon and had failed to secure it. With James Crumbley, 45, and Jennifer Crumbley, 43, appearing via video stream from the jail before Judge Julie Nicholson of 52-3 District Court in Rochester Hills, McDonald said, “This is a very serious, horrible, terrible murder and shooting and it has affected the entire community. In five minutes, he fired more than 30 shots before he was stopped by on-campus police.Īt the 30-minute arraignment of the parents on Saturday morning, Prosecutor McDonald demanded a $500,000 bond because the Crumbleys were considered a flight risk. Crumbley carried out the shooting spree with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun between classes when the Oxford High School hallways were full of students and faculty. They were reportedly placed on suicide watch.Įthan Crumbley was charged as an adult on 24 counts, including manslaughter and terrorism leading to death for shooting and killing four classmates and injuring six more students and one teacher on November 30. Marshals and Oakland County Sheriff’s Office and transported to the Oakland County Jail in Pontiac, Michigan, and placed in isolation cells, the same location where their son is being held. Attorneys for the Crumbleys said they were “absolutely going to turn themselves in” and accused McDonald of not communicating with the defense team, despite multiple attempts on their part to reach the Oakland County prosecutor’s office on Friday morning. Detroit Police Chief James White told local news media that the two “appeared distressed” but were unarmed and gave themselves up without resisting. after their vehicle was spotted by a tipster near a light industrial building on the city’s east side. James and Jennifer Crumbley were taken into custody by Detroit police at approximately 1:45 a.m. Officials conducted a search after the parents failed to appear at their arraignment on Friday afternoon. Marshals Service that included a $10,000 reward for information leading to their apprehension. The parents of 15-year-old Oxford High School shooter Ethan Crumbley were arrested early Saturday morning in Detroit following a law enforcement fugitive manhunt led by the U.S.
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