Crumbley Lawyers Seek To Block Evidence During Trial: Report

ROCHESTER HILLS, MI — Lawyers for Jennifer and James Crumbley filed court motions Thursday seeking to block certain information from being admitted as evidence during the couple's fall trial, according to a report from the Detroit Free Press, citing court records.

Defense lawyers blasted Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald in the filings, arguing prosecutors revealed "inflammatory information" meant to smear the couple and taint the jury pool, the report said.

The defense team specifically said the couple's alleged affairs, pot smoking, drinking habits, horse hobby and messy house should not be presented as evidence during the trial because it's irrelevant to the case, the report said.

Moreover, defense lawyers also sought to prohibit the couple's son's journal, saying it might invoke political sentiments during the trial because prosecutors said their son wrote anti-Biden statements, such as "sleepy f------ Joe Biden," and that he hoped his actions would force "Sleepy f---Joe Biden will have to make an apolg(y) to people," the report said.

"The materials risk the danger of turning jury deliberations into a political debate," the defense said. "It would also be likely to lead to longer deliberations and possibly an endless string of hung juries, as the likelihood that all jurors would have the same attitude about the anti-Biden diatribe of (Ethan) is surely close to zero."

However, prosecutors argued that Ethan Crumbley's journal showed his parents ignoring their son's desperate pleas for help.

"My parents won't listen to me, I have zero help with my mental problems, and it's causing me to shoot up the school," prosecutors said Ethan wrote in his journal. "My parents won't get me help or a therapist."

Prosecutors also said text messages Ethan Crumbley shared with a friend further exemplified the couple of ignoring distribution warning signs Ethan showed leading up to the deadly shooting, such as texting his mom about "demons" and his father telling him to "suck it up," when Ethan asked his father to take him to the hospital.

As well as maintaining the couple knew nothing about their son's plans, the defense also asked the court to dismiss the couple's four counts of involuntary manslaughter, arguing Judge Nicholson "abused discretion" in sending the case to trial, the report said.

Prosecutors told WXYZ the defense's motions filed Wednesday "do not raise any new arguments or evidence."

"The prosecution will respond to the motions as permitted by the court at the appropriate time, prosecutors told the news station. "The prosecution remains very confident in its case."

Jennifer and James Crumbley were each charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection to the deadly Oxford High School shooting, which authorities said their son carried out, killing four students and wounding seven other people.

Ethan Crumbley was charged with 24 counts, including four counts of premeditated murder and terrorism. He was order to remain in the Oakland County Jail during a court review determining whether the 16-year-old should be moved to a youth facility.

All three Crumbley's were housed separately in the Oakland County Jail.

Read the full story at the Detroit Free Press