In a landmark case, a Michigan jury has found James Crumbley, father of teenage school shooter Ethan Crumbley, guilty on four counts of involuntary manslaughter.
The charges were related to his son's violent act at a high school, which resulted in a mass shooting.
James and Jennifer Crumbley, parents of the 15-year-old shooter, were both indicted on four counts of involuntary manslaughter, as reported by Fox News. Jennifer Crumbley was previously found guilty of the charges in February.
The Crumbley's defense attorney, Keith Johnson, highlighted the significant precedent this case sets. "This is a historic case because the prosecutors are seeking to hold a parent responsible for the actions of a child the violent actions that led to the death of other children. And so this is a test case to see the limits of parents' responsibility for the actions of their children who are of a high school age," Johnson stated.
He further noted that the prosecution and subsequent guilty verdict could potentially influence future cases across the nation. Johnson suggested that it "could definitely lead to prosecutors throughout the country taking a similar strategy and holding parents and guardians responsible if weapons are brought to the home and are used in these types of mass-shooting incidents."
Unlike his wife, James chose not to testify in his trial. The jury, however, heard from James' sister, who defended her brother. She claimed ignorance of any issues within the household, stating, "If I would've known anything, I would've talked to [Ethan], would have [taken] him home with me if there was any kind of inclination that anything was wrong."
Evidence from the Oakland County Sheriff's Department, who conducted a search of the Crumbley's residence, revealed several accessible firearms. The weapon used by Ethan in the high school shooting, a 9mm Sig Sauer, was purchased by James mere days before the tragic incident, which claimed the lives of four students.
Johnson concluded by posing a question that underscores the trial's significance. "I think the question becomes: what is a parent reasonably supposed to do to secure a firearm or a weapon or let authorities know that their child is having certain thoughts or certain ideations of violence?" He added, "So, I believe that it must be on a case-by-case basis."
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