Court denies new trial for parents of Oxford High School shooter

In 2024, James and Jennifer Crumbley were convicted of involuntary manslaughter in connection with their son Ethan's mass shooting at Oxford High School in Michigan, which occurred on November 30, 2021. The tragic event resulted in the deaths of four students and injuries to seven others. During the legal proceedings, prosecutors argued that the Crumbleys were partially responsible for the shooting due to their neglect of their son's mental health needs and unsafe storage of the firearm used in the attack. The Crumbleys’ conviction made them the first parents in U.S. history to be convicted for crimes related to their child's mass shooting. Following their convictions, the Crumbleys filed appeals, claiming they were denied a fair trial and citing violations by the prosecution regarding undisclosed agreements with key witnesses who testified against them. These developments culminated in a recent ruling by Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Cheryl Matthews, who denied their requests for a new trial despite acknowledging that the prosecution failed to disclose certain witness agreements. Judge Matthews upheld the Crumbleys' convictions, emphasizing that there was sufficient evidence presented during the trial that justified the decisions made by the juries.