Jury Will See Oxford Shooting Footage At Crumbley Parents' Trial: Report

ROCHESTER HILLS, MI — An Oakland County judge rejected a request from James and Jennifer Crumbley to block jurors from seeing footage of the deadly Oxford school shooting at their upcoming trial, according to a report from the Detroit Free Press, citing court documents.

The couple's lawyers argued the footage would be "overwhelmingly prejudicial" and isn't relevant to the couple's case. But Oakland County Circuit Judge Cheryl Matthews disagreed, noting "all evidence offered by the parties is 'prejudicial' to some extent, but the fear of prejudice does not generally render the evidence inadmissible."

Matthews will also allow some witnesses in the shooting to testify, but with restrictions. Witnesses will not be able to discuss rendering aid to any of the victims or discuss any suffering or emotional trauma they have endured from the shooting. Instead, witnesses will be asked to focus on the shooter and the gun that prosecutors said the couple bought for their son as a Christmas present, according to the report.

Matthews' decision to restrict some testimony comes after defense lawyers sought 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.

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.

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.

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.

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, prosecutors 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.

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 on Jan. 23, though it's unclear who will go first.