Crime & Safety
Oxford School Shooter's Mom Guilty Of Manslaughter: Jury
The four students killed in the shooting were Hana St. Juliana, 14; Tate Myre, 16; Madisyn Baldwin, 17; and Justin Shilling, 17.
PONTIAC, MI — An Oakland County jury found Jennifer Crumbley guilty on manslaughter charges in the Oxford school shooting that was carried out by her son and left four dead on Nov. 30, 2021.
Jennifer Crumbley, 45, was charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the deadly shooting. She faces up to 15 years in prison on each charge.
The verdict was returned to the courtroom after an Oakland County jury deliberated for roughly 11 hours, capping an emotional seven-day trial.
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Her sentencing is set for April 9 at 9 a.m.
While deliberating Monday, jurors asked Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Cheryl two questions.
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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.
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."
James Crumbley, Jennifer's husband, will head to trial on March 5.
Ethan Crumbley, Jennifer's son, 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.
The four students killed in the shooting were 14-year-old Hana St. Juliana, 14; Tate Myre, 16; Madisyn Baldwin, 17; and Justin Shilling, 17.
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