Oakland County Judge Blocks More Evidence From Crumbley Parents Trials

ROCHESTER HILLS, MI — An Oakland County judge blocked more evidence from Jennifer and James Crumbley's upcoming trials.

Oakland County Circuit Judge Cheryl Matthews agreed to block prosecutors' evidence claiming the couple's son tortured a baby bird months before the deadly Oxford school shooting. Prosecutors said the couple's son kept a baby bird’s head in a jar on his bedroom floor and later took the jar to school and placed it in a school bathroom.

Defense lawyers argued the evidence is irrelevant to the case because the shooter "intentionally hid" the birds from his parents.

"The 'bird evidence' is so extremely disgusting, sickening, and appalling that its admission would certainly inflame the passions of a jury," defense lawyers argued. "The jury will undoubtedly judge Mrs. Crumbley for the heinous acts of her son, which she knew nothing about."

Matthews also blocked prosecutors' evidence claiming the parents' infidelity. Other evidence that was already blocked from the couple's trial includes, the shooter's Nazi coin, the messiness of their home, some of the shooter's internet history, multiple Instagram accounts they did not follow and parts of their lifestyle that included heavy drinking and marijuana use.

The court will allow to trial prosecutors' evidence claiming the couple's son played violent video games, their drinking and drug use at the time of the shooting or when their son accessed the gun in their home and the couple's horseback riding.

The parents were each charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection to the deadly Oxford school shooting. They are being held in the Oakland County Jail with a $500,000 bond each. If convicted, they face up to 15 years in prison.

They are the first set of parents charged in connection to a deadly school shooting.

After standing in courtrooms together for nearly two years, the couple requested to be tried separately. An Oakland County judge granted that request. Their trial is expected to start on Jan. 23, 2024.

Defense lawyers argue 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, 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.

The couple's son, Ethan Crumbley, 17, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole Friday for fatally shooting four students and wounding seven other people at Oxford High School in November 2021.

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.

"We are all here because of me today, what I did ... I could not stop myself," Ethan Crumbley told the judge at the sentencing. "My parents did not know what I planned to do. They are not at fault."