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Shooter Crumbley’s parents to face separate trials

Per CNN:

“Jennifer Crumbley didn’t pull the trigger that day, but she is responsible for those deaths,” Oakland County assistant prosecutor Marc Keast said in opening statements.

In particular, prosecutors accuse the gunman’s parents of disregarding the risks when they bought a gun for their son four days before the shooting, even though he was struggling with his mental health and contemplating violence. They also say the parents did not mention the gun to school officials in a meeting to discuss Ethan’s disturbing drawings just hours before the fatal shooting.

Judge Kwame Rowe presides over the sentencing hearing of Ethan Crumbley, Friday, Dec. 8, 2023, in Pontiac, Mich. Parents of students killed at Michigan's Oxford High School described the anguish of losing their children Friday as the judge considered whether Crumbley, a teenager, will serve a life sentence for a mass shooting in 2021. Crumbley, 17, could be locked up with no chance for parole for killing four fellow students and wounding Others.”

“Despite her knowledge of his deteriorating mental crisis, despite her knowledge of his growing social isolation, despite the fact that it’s illegal for a 15-year-old to walk into a gun store and walk out with a handgun by himself, this gun was gifted,” Keast said.

“Even with all of that,” on the day of the shooting, “Jennifer Crumbley was still given the opportunity to prevent these murders from ever happening,” Keast said. “Instead, she chose to do nothing.”

The parents’ defense attorneys have argued the charges have no legal justification, but appeals courts have upheld them.
Johnson212 · 61-69, M
Not holding someone accountable for the crime committed by another is a basic tenant, As stupid a thing as that was you should not charge the parents with those deaths. I could see some kind of civil suit but there seems to be a trend of charging someone criminally these days for something that in previous times resulted in nothing or a civil suit. I have noticed this in some police shootings where a mistake was made but it was not a murder but the hue and cry is for a murder charge so they do it to appease the crowd.
KunsanVeteran · 61-69, M
@Johnson212 The parents won’t be found guilty of murder. However, child abuse/neglect, various charges for providing a deadly weapon to their child without proper supervision, attempting to flee law enforcement, reckless endangerment, etc. are all fair game. Also, they are probably going to face wrongful death lawsuits.
Ynotisay · M
This one is tricky. A guilty verdict could set a precedent that could be abused. The prosecution is saying the shooting was foreseeable. But I'm not sure how many parents would see that as a potential outcome. I don't know enough about it although I do know that kid pulled the trigger. No one else.
KunsanVeteran · 61-69, M
@Ynotisay Recall the parents went on the lam and appeared to be taking the steps to escape into Canada before they were captured. While their attorney claimed that they were preparing to turn themselves in the next morning, there’s zero corroborating evidence of that. There were clear warnings signs [b]including their son urging both of them that he needed help[/b].

Instead, they bought him a gun. Lied about having it secured. Didn’t cooperate with the school authorities. Mother joked with him by text messages saying “learn how not to get caught.”

If nothing else, people this stupid should never have kids.

 
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