Crumbley Parents Want To Block Video Of Oxford School Shooting From Jury: Reports

ROCHESTER HILLS, MI — Defense attorneys for Jennifer and James Crumbley want to block jurors from seeing video of the deadly Oxford school shooting that the couple's son carried out in November 2021, according to reports.

Defense lawyers argued in a motion the footage would be "overwhelmingly prejudicial" in the couple's upcoming trial, and said they didn't think prosecutors planned to show the footage, but instead, planned to show footage of the couple's arrival at the high school for a meeting with school officials over their son's conduct, according to reports.

"This video is very relevant to the parent's cases as it includes footage of the parents and shows their whereabouts and timing," lawyers wrote in the filing. "At trial, the meeting the Crumbleys had with the shooter and the school counselor will be highly relevant as the prosecution points to several actions and inactions of the parents during that specific time."

The four students killed in the shooting were 14-year-old Hana St. Juliana, 16-year-old Tate Myre, 17-year-old Madisyn Baldwin and 17-year-old Justin Shilling.

Jennifer Crumbley and her husband, James Crubmley, were each charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection to the deadly Oxford school shooting, which their son, Ethan Crumbley, carried out. In December, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

An Oakland County judge will weigh the request at the same time defense lawyers asked to block some witnesses from testifying at the couple's trial. Defense lawyers want to stop testimony from a teacher who was injured in the shooting, an assistant principal who tried saving a dying student and Oxford student Keegan Gregory, who was stuck in a bathroom with the shooter, arguing it would "inflame the passions of a jury."

Prosecutors argued they have the right to prove every element of the charges against the couple, including the killing of the four students. In addition, prosectors have long maintained the couple could have prevented the shooting if they had told school officials they had recently bought their son a gun, but that information was never shared at the meeting, prosecutors said.

An Oakland County judge did agree to block some evidence from Jennifer Crumbley's trial, including prosecutors' evidence claiming the couple's son tortured a baby bird months before the deadly Oxford school shooting and evidence claiming the parents' infidelity.

Defense lawyers also argued the couple cannot be held accountable because they were not "directly involved" in the Oxford school shooting, and are not "responsible for the deaths of others."

Prosecutors, on the other hand, argue the charges are not overstepping, and say they have evidence proving gross negligence by the parents. Prosecutors claim the couple ignored disturbing warning signs from their son leading up to the deadly shooting, and instead of getting him help, they bought him a gun.

Jennifer and James Crumbley are the first set of parents charged in connection to a deadly school shooting. They are being held in the Oakland County Jail with a $500,000 bond each.

After fighting charges together for nearly two years, the couple asked for separate trials, which a judge granted them. The trials are expected to start Jan. 23, though it's unclear who will go first.