Michigan Appeals Court: Parents of Mass Shooter Can Face Manslaughter Trial

Facts

• A Michigan appeals court ruled Thursday that the parents of teenager Ethan Crumbley, who pleaded guilty to a mass shooting at Oxford High School in November 2021, can face trial for involuntary manslaughter.¹
• The court’s written opinion said there’s sufficient evidence that Jennifer and James Crumbley could be charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter because the parents “provided him with the weapon” that killed four students. The opinion said his parents didn’t remove him from the situation at school that “led directly to the shootings.”²
• Crumbley’s parents were called to school after officials discovered a drawing he made featuring dead bodies with gunshot wounds, and an image of a gun that resembled the one his parents bought him. They did not take him home hours before he carried out the shooting.³
• The court said it will be up to a jury to determine whether there’s “causation” between the parents’ actions and their son’s crimes. The younger Crumbley pleaded guilty to 24 state charges, including first-degree murder and terrorism.⁴
• The Michigan Supreme Court had asked the appeals court to review the charges against Crumbley’s parents, who face up to 15 years and/or a $7.5K fine for each charge.⁵

Sources: ¹Associated Press, ²BBC News, ³The Hill, ⁴Al Jazeera, and ⁵FOX News.

Narratives

• Right narrative, as provided by Washington Examiner. This case will set a terrible precedent by charging people for not being able to predict the future. Crumbley’s parents might have made some bad decisions but holding them — or any parents — criminally liable for the actions of their child could take the justice system down a dark road.
• Left narrative, as provided by CNN. The court was very clear that this is a unique situation, and it doesn’t expect parents to be held accountable for their child’s actions in every possible case. What these charges accomplish is setting the precedent that those who facilitate the committing of a heinous crime — be it the parents of the perpetrator or someone else — will have to face the consequences.