(WWJ) The Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled there is enough evidence to charge the parents of the Oxford High School shooter with manslaughter.
Defendants James and Jennifer Crumbley have each been charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection to the mass shooting their son, Ethan Crumbley, pleaded guilty to carrying out at Oxford High School on Nov. 30, 2021.
Four students, Madisyn Baldwin, 17, Justin Shilling, 17, Tate Myre, 16 and Hana St. Juliana, 14, were killed in the tragedy, while seven other people, including a teacher, were wounded.
According to prosecutors, James and Jennifer Crumbley both knew their son was troubled and failed to intervene even after the teen showed numerous warning signs that he was in mental distress. It's also alleged that James Crumbley armed his son, having purchased him the handgun just days before the shootings, and that the gun was "readily accessible" to the teen.
Attorneys for the couple had appealed a decision from an Oakland County District Court judge who said there was enough evidence to send the case to trial.
In the ruling issued Thursday morning, the appeals court judges said the Crumbleys were aware their son had been repeatedly experiencing significant episodes of hallucinations and/or extreme paranoia, but bought them gun for him anyway.
The couples' attorneys argued that there is no precedent for such charges against the parents, contending that the prosecution "failed to point to a single case where a person can be held responsible for the planned and deliberate acts of another person."
The ruling will likely be appealed to the Michigan Supreme Court.
Sentencing for Ethan Crumbley is scheduled for June.
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