James Crumbley, father of Oxford High School shooter Ethan Crumbley, trial begins

The father of Oxford High School shooter Ethan Crumbley is on trial for what prosecutors said was his role in the deadly 2021 shooting.

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James Crumbley admitted to buying his son the gun used in the shooting that left four students dead, WDIV reported. But his attorney said in her opening statement Thursday, that her client “did not know that his son could potentially harm other people, he did not know what his son was planning,” the Detroit Free Press reported.

The elder Crumbley is charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of Hana St. Julinana, 14; Tate Myre, 16; Madisyn Baldwin, 17; and Justin Shilling, 17. Six other students and a teacher were wounded. James Crumbley has pleaded not guilty, CNN reported. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

James Crumbley’s trial comes weeks after his wife, Jennifer Crumbley, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter. Both cases, in which parents are facing those charges for a crime their child committed, are not typical. But they were charged because prosecutors alleged that they were responsible since they purchased the gun and ignored his mental health problems, CNN reported.

Normally parents face neglect or firearms charges.

But James Crumbley is being accused of ignoring warning signs from his son and not securing the gun he purchased as a Christmas present, Reuters reported.

Assistant Prosecutor Marc Keast said in his opening statement on Thursday, “James Crumbley bought that gun as a gift for his son four days before the attack,” WDIV reported. “What happened inside that school was truly a nightmare come to life. But it didn’t have to be. It was wholly preventable.”

James Crumbley’s attornies say their client had no indication that his son would open fire at his school and that he had secured the gun in the family’s home, according to Reuters.

Defense attorney Mariell Lehman said in her opening statement Thursday, “James Crumbley was not aware that his son had access to that firearm,” WDIV reported.

On the day of the shootings, a teacher saw drawings made by Ethan Crumbley that showed a gun, bullet and a bleeding person with the words “Blood everywhere,” “My life is useless” and “The thoughts won’t stop - help me.”

The parents were also called to the school the morning of the shooting, with administrators telling them that their son needed to see a counselor and to take him from school immediately, but the parents decided not to. They also failed to search his backpack or ask him about the gun, Reuters reported. Shortly after the meeting, Ethan Crumbley went back to class and eventually went to the bathroom where he pulled out the gun and started firing.

Ethan Crumbley pleaded guilty to a count of terrorism causing death, four counts of murder and 19 other charges in the Nov. 30, 2021 mass shooting, CNN reported. He is serving a life sentence, the Detroit Free Press reported.

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