'Tainted From Top To Bottom': Jennifer Crumbley Wants Conviction Tossed: Lawyer

OXFORD, MI — Jennifer Crumbley asked an Oakland County court Monday morning to toss her conviction and grant her an either an acquittal or a new trial, according to court documents.

Crumbley's lawyer argues she was not given a fair trial because prosecutors did not share proffer agreements they signed with school officials for their testimony at her trial, jury rules that indicated she could be found guilty on two theories (failed to perform a legal duty in patenting or gross negligence) and because she had an ineffective lawyer, according to court documents.

"These proceedings were tainted from top to bottom and were borne out of prosecutorial overreach attempting to criminalize Mrs. Crumbley’s noncriminal conduct," Crumbley's lawyer Michael Dezsi said. "Apart from the improper decision to charge, Mrs. Crumbley was denied a fair trial where the prosecution deliberately withheld from the defense key impeachment evidence and proceeded on Kafkaesque inconsistent legal theories that work a grave injustice on the law."

Prosecutors have denied that any school official was granted immunity for their testimony and that the agreements were not required to be shared.

On Feb. 6, Crumbley was convicted of four counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the deadly Oxford school shooting that happened on Nov. 30, 2021. She became the first parent ever charged and convicted in connection with a school shooting. She was sentenced to 10-15 years in prison, the maximum for involuntary manslaughter in Michigan.

The shooting was carried out by her son, then 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley, who fatally shot four students and wounded several other people.

The four children killed in the shooting were: Hana St. Juliana, 14; Justin Shilling, 17; Tate Myre, 16; and Madisyn Baldwin, 16.

Prosecutors claim Jennifer and her husband, James Crumbley, ignored disturbing warning signs from their son leading up to the deadly shooting, and instead of getting him help, they bought him a gun.

On the day of the shooting, prosecutors said Jennifer and her husband met with school counselors after a teacher caught Ethan with a drawing that depicted a gun and a bullet and the lines, "The thoughts won't stop. Help me. The world is dead. My life is useless."

The meeting was held with Nick Ejak, who at the time was Oxford High School's former dean of students and then-Oxford counselor, Shawn Hopkins, both of whom signed the proffer agreements. The school officials testified they believed Ethan's drawing indicated possible depression and suicide ideation, not a threat to other people.

They both urged Jennifer and James to get Ethan help right away, but they couldn't force the couple to take action when they said they had to go back to work.

Ejak said he didn't have reasonable suspicion to search the teen's backpack, such as nervous behavior or allegations of vaping or possessing a weapon. He also said he found it "odd" and "strange" that Jennifer and James declined to immediately take their son home.

"My concern was he gets the help he needs," Ejak said.

A few hours after the meeting, Ethan pulled a 9mm gun from his backpack and shot 11 people inside the school.

Prosecutors argued Jennifer could have done numerous things to prevent the shooting after leaving a school meeting with counselors. They said Jennifer could have stopped at home to check for the gun, searched her son's backpack, or even acknowledged him during the meeting.

Prosecutors also said the couple could have told school officials about the gun they bought their son and that he asked them for help, as counselors said they were worried the child might harm himself.

James Crumbley was also convicted of four counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the shooting and was also sentenced to 10-15 years in prison.

Ethan Crumbley, who was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, now wants to withdraw his guilty plea and get a new trial.

Oakland County Judge Kwame Rowe is expected to rule on that matter and Jennifer's request soon.