A jury convicted James Crumbley of involuntary manslaughter Thursday for his negligence in preventing Michigan’s school shooting, executed by his son.
Crumbley has been in jail since Dec. 2021 and could be in prison for up to 15 years, according to The New York Times (NYT). His wife, Jennifer, was found guilty of the same crimes in February, and might also face 15 years in prison. The couple was indicted following the shooting at Oxford High School Nov. 30, 2021, where their son Ethan Crumbley, then 15, murdered four students and injured several others.
“James Crumbley was presented with the easiest, most glaring opportunities to prevent the deaths of these four students,” Karen McDonald, the prosecutor in Oakland County, said in closing arguments, NYT reported. “And he did nothing.”
BREAKING: James Crumbley, the father of Michigan school shooter Ethan Crumbley, has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter for failing to safely store the gun used to kill four students. https://t.co/mIE4I9BZSw
— NBC News (@NBCNews) March 14, 2024
The defense argued James didn’t know about his son’s plans. “You heard no testimony, and you saw no evidence, that James had any knowledge that his son was a danger to anyone,” Mariell Lehman, Crumbley’s defense lawyer, reportedly said in a statement. “He didn’t know. He didn’t know what was going on with his son. He didn’t know what his son was planning.” (RELATED: REPORT: Suspected Oxford High Shooter To Plead ‘Not Guilty’)
Jennifer’s trial showed she neglected Ethan, while James’ trial focused on him buying the gun, the outlet reported. The prosecution showed it was easy to lock the gun, challenging the defense’s argument that James didn’t know how it was stored, according to NYT.
The jury also examined entries from Ethan’s journal and revealed his access to the gun and ammunition, which implicated his parents’ negligence, NYT reported.
“I have access to the gun and the ammo,” the entry said, according to NYT. “I am fully committed to this now.”
Despite warnings, including a school meeting the day of the shooting about Ethan’s alarming drawings, neither parent nor school officials inspected his backpack, where the gun was hidden, NYT reported.
The prosecution’s case featured 15 witnesses, including eyewitnesses to the shooting and law enforcement officers, whereas the defense called a single witness, according to NYT.
Ethan pleaded guilty to 24 charges connected to the shooting, including the murders of four classmates. He received a life sentence in 2023 with no possibility of parole.