Jennifer Crumbley, mother of the 15-year-old Michigan school shooter Ethan Crumbley, has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter by a Michigan jury for her role in the 2021 attack that killed four students.
Driving the news: Prosecutors argued that Jennifer was grossly negligent in failing to inform Oxford High School that her family had guns, including the 9 mm handgun that Ethan used in the shooting range prior to the attack.
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- Jennifer was accused of failing to secure the gun and ammunition at home and failing to get help for her son’s mental health, despite having a duty to prevent him from harming others under Michigan law.
- During the trial, Jennifer claimed that it was her husband’s job to keep track of the gun and that she saw no signs of mental distress in her son, while a journal found by the police revealed that Ethan had written about his lack of help for his mental problems.
The backstory: Ethan Crumbley pleaded guilty to murder and terrorism charges and is currently serving a life sentence.
- Jennifer’s husband, James Crumbley, also faces trial in March for his role in the shooting, making them the first parents in the US to be charged in a mass school shooting committed by their child.
- The jury, made up of six men and six women, including some gun owners or people who grew up with guns, did not have access to any testimony from Ethan or others regarding how he gained access to the gun used in the attack.
