Jury Deliberations Resume In Case Against Oxford School Shooter's Mom

PONTIAC, MI — Jury deliberations in the trial against the mother of the Oxford High School shooter resumed Tuesday morning.

Jennifer Crumbley, 45, was charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the 2021 shooting in which her son fatally shot four students at Oxford High School on Nov. 30, 2021.

She is the first parent who was charged in connection with a mass shooting by his or her child.

Members of the jury failed to reach a verdict Monday after deliberating for roughly seven hours. They did ask Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Cheryl two questions after talking for a little bit Monday.

The first question was, can members of the jury infer anything from evidence that was not presented at Jennifer Crumbley's trial — such as how her son Ethan Crumbley got the gun he used to kill four classmates, according to the Detroit News.

Matthews reiterated the only thing jurors can discuss is the evidence that was put forth to them during Jennifer's trial.

The second question jurors asked is, are there two ways they could convict Jennifer Crumbley of involuntary manslaughter. Prosecutors presented two theories against Jennifer.

One that Jennifer failed to perform a legal duty in patenting, basically failing to provide her son the necessary care prosecutors said he needed. The second is gross negligence, meaning Jennifer knew that her son was a danger to others, and that she failed to take the ordinary care steps to avoid injuring others.

Matthews said that jurors only need to believe at least one of the theories to declare Crumbley guilty. If any of the jury members believe the prosecution failed to prove either of the theories, Crumbley could be declared not guilty.

Prosecutors said in their closing arguments Friday that the "smallest things" could have prevented the deadly shooting. They argue that Jennifer, along with her husband, ignored disturbing warning signs from their son leading up to the deadly shooting.

Defense lawyers argued Friday that no one, not even Jennifer, could have known that her son was planning the deadly shooting. Moreover, defense lawyers said Jennifer's son was not mentally ill, but rather a "a skilled manipulator."

Ethan Crumbley was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in December for the deadly shooting. He has since appealed his life sentence and will not testify during his parents' trials.

James Crumbley, who is also charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, will go to trial on March 5.

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.