Michigan School Shooter's Father Found Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter

James Crumbley, who bought the gun his son used to kill four students in a Michigan school shooting, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter on Thursday. Associated Press mentionted. His sentencing comes just weeks after his wife, Jennifer Crumbley, was convicted of the same charges.

Their separate trials marked the first time a US court has convicted a parent of a mass shooting perpetrated by their child. The Crumbleys were accused of purchasing the gun their son, Ethan Crumbley, used during the shooting, ignoring his mental health needs and failing to notify the school that they had purchased a gun for their son during a meeting about his behavior just hours before the shooting.

On November 30, 2021, Ethan, then 15, walked into Oxford High School and fatally shot Hannah St. Juliana, 14, Tate Myer, 16, Justin Schilling, 17, and Madisyn Baldwin, 17. . Six more students and a faculty member were injured.

Ethan pleaded guilty to 24 charges stemming from the shooting, including the first-degree murders of his classmates. He was sentenced last year to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

James, who was sentenced in the same Pontiac courtroom as his wife, has been in prison since December 2021. Both parents will be sentenced at a later date and face up to 15 years in prison.

“James Crumbley is not on trial for what his son did,” County Attorney Karen McDonald told the jury Wednesday. “James Crumbley is on trial for what he did and what he didn't do.” He added that he “doesn't get a pass because someone else” pulled the trigger.

James' lawyer, Mariell Lehman, said she “obviously feels terrible” about the tragedy. “While we are disappointed with the verdict, we know the jury had a very difficult task ahead of them,” he told the AP.

One of the victim's fathers, Steve St. Juliana, speak to one Press conference on Thursday after the verdict. After thanking prosecutors and law enforcement for the case, he said, “But we're not done.”

Saint Juliana continued, “There is much more that must be done. It's crazy the way our society is reacting to this right now. Our children die on a daily basis in mass murder, and we do very little about it. We complain about Second Amendment rights or say, “There's not enough money for mental health issues.” You name it and it will be an argument against it. It's the number one killer of our children, guys.”