Crumbley Parents Ask MI Supreme Court To Toss Charges: Lawyers

ROCHESTER HILLS, MI — Jennifer and James Crumbley asked the Michigan Supreme Court to throw out their charges in connection to the deadly Oxford school shooting, arguing the couple cannot be held responsible for the "independent acts" of their son, according to a court filing.

The couple's defense lawyers also asked the court to consider blocking certain pieces of evidence from their trial, notably from their son's journal, including phases such as, "My parents won't listen to me about help or a therapist" and "I want help but my parents don't listen to me so I can't get any help" because the focus is on their son's mental state and there's no evidence proving the couple had seen the statements, according to the filing.

In other words, lawyers argued the couple can not be held accountable because they were not "directly involved" in the Oxford school shooting, and are not "responsible for the deaths of others."

The couple's request comes after a Michigan Court of Appeals refused to throw out charges against the couple in July, when lawyers argued nearly the same principles in seeking to get the charges tossed.

The couple's trial was originally slated to start in October, but was postponed to January 2023, so the court can review courtroom testimony.

The couple was last in court earlier this summer when a judge declined their motion to have the trial moved out of Oakland County. The defense also said they plan to call the couple's son, Ethan Crumbley as a witness.

Jennifer and James Crumbley were each charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter after prosecutors accused the couple of ignoring their son's disturbing warning signs leading up to the shooting at Oxford High School that killed four students on Nov. 30. The couple was placed in the Oakland County jail and are each being held on $500,000 bond.

Son Ethan Crumbley's trial is also expected to start in January 2023 after he pleaded insanity to 24 felony charges, including four counts of first-degree premeditated murder and terrorism, according to officials. He also remains in the Oakland County.