PONTIAC, Mich. – The jury in Michigan began deliberating in the trial of Jennifer Crumbley, 45, who is the mother of Ethan Crumbley, the 17-year-old who carried out a school shooting at Oxford High School in 2021. Jennifer Crumbley is facing charges of involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of four students from the shooting. This case marks the first time parents have been charged in a school shooting committed by their child in the United States.
Prosecutors argue that Jennifer Crumbley was grossly negligent in failing to inform the school about important details that could have prevented the shooting. They claim that she did not disclose the fact that the family owned guns, including a 9 mm handgun purchased for her son before the attack. Additionally, school officials had met with the parents about troubling images drawn on a math assignment, featuring the same gun the family had recently purchased for their son. They say the parents resisted taking their son home and were advised to seek counseling for him.
The defense, led by Attorney Shannon Smith, argues that Ethan was a “skilled manipulator” rather than someone with a mental illness, and that the responsibility for the gun lies with Jennifer’s husband. Smith also contends that charging the parents was done for political gain and media attention, calling it a dangerous precedent.
During the trial, Jennifer Crumbley testified, stating that the gun was purchased as an early Christmas present to be used only at the shooting range. She expressed her belief that she and her son were close, with no reason to believe he would commit such acts.
The jury, consisting of six men and six women, includes individuals who are gun owners and were raised in households with firearms. They have asserted that this will not affect their ability to make a fair judgement.
If convicted of involuntary manslaughter, Jennifer Crumbley faces a maximum of 15 years in prison. The jury’s decision will have significant implications for setting precedents in cases involving parental liability in school shootings.