PONTIAC (WWJ) -- An Oakland County judge has ruled that Oxford High School shooter Ethan Crumbley is eligible to receive a sentence of life in prison without parole, despite being a minor.
Crumbley, now 17, was convicted of a total 24 felonies, including four counts of first-degree murder and one count of terrorism in the deadly shooting on November 30, 2021, in which four students were killed and six other students and a teacher were wounded.
In explaining his decision Friday, Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Kwame Rowe said the murders were methodical, intentional, and thoughtfully planned out, noting that the teen had plenty of time to change his mind.
"Not only did the defendant plan every action, but he also followed through with this plan," said Rowe, then going step-by-step through each shot Crumbley took, naming each victim.
Rowe stated that while the court acknowledges that the teenager may have mental illness, that was not enough of a mitigating factor.
The judge added that it appears Crumbley had a "good childhood" — enjoying vacations, pets, and receiving love from his family — and, by the teen's own admission, did not suffer abuse.
While Crumbley did endure some neglect by his parents, who drank and left him on his own quite a bit, Rowe said that also was not enough of a mitigating factor to sway his decision.
Rowe said that Crumbley, in the court's opinion, has a very slim chance of being rehabilitated. He noted that Crumbley "continues to be obsessed with violence," and even hacked a laptop he was given for schoolwork so he could watch violent videos while in jail.
Rowe said that, since committing the murders, evidence shows the teen has showed no signs of wanting to change.
"The judge looked as a number of factors," said WWJ Legal Analyst Charlie Langton, speaking live after the ruling was made. "He said that the shooter, Ethan Crumbley, was a mature 15-year-old, that this was a very meticulously planned killing, and (the prospect of) rehabilitation was slim, because he'd already committed four violations while he was in jail for the short time."
Rowe's ruling comes after four long days of a Miller hearing — a process which determines whether Crumbley is eligible to be sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Cumbley was charged as an adult, which would mean an automatically no-parole sentence. But because he is minor, the Supreme Court dictates that a Miller hearing must first be held to determine if he can be rehabilitated.
To be clear, this was not Crumbley's sentencing.
Langton explained that this ruling simply means that the prosecution succeeded in proving that Crumbley should be able to get life in prison.
Langton called this a big win for the prosecutor.
"There's a presumption that minors do not get, or cannot get life in prison without parole," Langton said. "Well now, after the Miller hearing, the judge in the case, Kwame Rowe from Oakland County Circuit Court ruled yes, the prosecutor met her burden and undid the presumption against life in prison."
The bottom line, Langton said, is that at sentencing, "One option on the table is life without parole for Oxford shooter Ethan Cumbley."
Any appeal by the defense would come after sentencing, which is set for December 8.