Father of Oxford School Shooter Faces Trial for Involuntary Manslaughter
The involuntary manslaughter trial of James Crumbley, the father of the Oxford school shooter, is set to begin this week in Oakland County, Michigan. The trial will bring a sense of déjà vu as it follows his wife’s blockbuster trial, in which she became the first parent of a school shooter to face homicide-level charges for her child’s crime. Jennifer Crumbley was convicted on four counts of involuntary manslaughter and could face up to 15 years in prison. James Crumbley now faces the same charges and potential sentence as his wife.
The trial will take place in the same courtroom with the same judge, prosecutors, witnesses, and evidence from his wife’s trial. The main focus of the trial will be whether James Crumbley failed to properly store the gun used by his son or show “reasonable care” in preventing him from harming others. Both parents have been in jail since they were arrested four days after their son killed four students and injured several others in the worst school shooting in Michigan’s history.
Legal analysts expect prosecutors to approach James Crumbley’s case similarly to Jennifer Crumbley’s trial. Much of the evidence, including the parents’ awareness of their son’s dangerous behavior, will be the same across both trials. Crucially, jurors in James Crumbley’s case will hear about the text messages their son sent to a friend, expressing his parents’ refusal or ignorance of his requests for mental health treatment.
While the trial is expected to follow a similar pattern as his wife’s, there are a few differences to note. James Crumbley may be portrayed as a more sympathetic parent compared to his wife, as he appeared devastated by his son’s actions in police interviews. However, he may also be held to a higher standard of responsibility for securing the handgun, as he was the gun owner who purchased the weapon gifted to their son. Prosecutors have evidence against James Crumbley that was not argued in his wife’s case, such as his understanding of gun safety and his failure to change the combination lock on the gun case.
The trial will also scrutinize James Crumbley’s response to an in-school meeting held the morning of the shooting. The Crumbleys were summoned to the school after a teacher flagged disturbing images their son had written on a math assignment. Although the adults involved understood it was a mental health issue, the parents did not take their son home after expressing a desire to return to class. James Crumbley later called 911 upon learning about the shooting and reported a missing gun at his house.
Legal experts differ on the advantages and downsides of being the second trial in a case where defendants are tried separately. The second defendant gets a preview of the government’s arguments and can respond more effectively. However, prosecutors also have an opportunity to improve their case based on the first trial. James Crumbley may choose not to testify or study his wife’s testimony to avoid pitfalls.
As the trial begins, the defense faces recent rulings against them, including the denial of their motion to disqualify testimony from a student who survived the shooting. The defense also failed to keep Ethan Crumbley’s journal writings out of evidence and change the venue. Concerns arise about seating an impartial jury due to extensive media coverage of the case.
The trial of James Crumbley will be closely watched as it sheds light on the accountability of parents when a child commits a heinous crime. The outcome of this trial will have implications for future cases involving parents of school shooters and their responsibilities in preventing such tragedies.
