Guilty Verdict: James Crumbley Convicted Of Manslaughter

MICHIGAN — James Crumbley, father of convicted Oxford High School shooter Ethan Crumbley, was found guilty of four counts of involuntary manslaughter, a little over a month after his wife, Jennifer Crumbley, was convicted on the same charges.

He faces up to 15 years in prison on each charge, which would run concurrently.

Crumbley, 47, did not testify in his trial, telling Oakland County Judge Cheryl Matthews, "it is my decision to remain silent."

The verdict came a day after the jury began deliberating.

Ethan Crumbley, who is now 17, was sentenced to life without parole last December after he admitted to the shooting. Both Jennifer and James Crumbley are scheduled to be sentenced April 9.

The four students killed in the Nov. 30, 2021 shooting were 14-year-old Hana St. Juliana, 16-year-old Tate Myre, 17-year-old Madisyn Baldwin and 17-year-old Justin Shilling.

Jennifer and James Crumbley faced allegations they failed to act as their son's mental health deteriorated.

Jurors were instructed that they needed to believe one of two theories to declare Crumbley guilty: That James failed to perform a legal duty in parenting, or that he knew his son was a danger to others and failed to take the ordinary care steps to avoid injuring others.

Defense lawyers maintain he had no idea what his son was planning, arguing that James could not be held accountable because he was not "directly involved" in the Oxford school shooting, and are not "responsible for the deaths of others."

Earlier this week, an Oxford High School counselor recounted the morning leading up to the deadly shooting, after the parents were called to the high school to discuss a disturbing drawing their son did on a math worksheet.

The worksheet had drawings of a gun, a bullet and a bleeding shooting victim, along with handwritten words reading: "My life is useless," "Blood everywhere" and "The thoughts won't stop, help me."

The counselor testified that he gave the parents a list of mental health resources and explained to them that they should get their son counseling services within 48 hours, and that he'd be following up with them. While he was talking to Jennifer Crumbley, he said he heard James Crumbley tell Ethan, "you have people you can talk to, you can talk to your counselor, you have your journal, we can talk."

"My concern at that point was there wasn’t any action happening," counselor Shawn Hopkins testified. He also said the meeting with Ethan's parents came to an "abrupt" end, with Jennifer asking, "Are we done?"

Jennifer and James refused to take their son home after the meeting, and Ethan returned to class. Hours later, he would open fire, killing four students, and wounding six others and a teacher.

"James Crumbley is not on trial for what his son did," Oakland County Prosecuting Attorney Karen McDonald said, according to CNN. "James Crumbley is on trial for what he did and what he didn’t do."

Related:

• What James Crumbley Told Son During Meeting With Counselors: Official
• James Crumbley's Sister Testifies In Oxford Shooting Trial
• James Crumbley Made Flurry Of Phone Calls Right After Oxford Shooting
• Jennifer Crumbley Ignored Son's Paranoia, 'Demon' Texts: Witness
• Oxford Shooter Never Asked For Help, Mom Jennifer Crumbley Testifies