The parents of school shooter Ethan Crumbley have refused his request to disclose documents his attorneys say would help him appeal his life sentence.
Crumbley was 15 when he opened fire at Michigan’s Oxford High School in 2021, killing four classmates — Madisyn Baldwin, 17; Tate Myre, 16; Hana St. Juliana, 14; and Justin Shilling, 17 — and wounding seven other people. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced late last year to life without parole, as CrimeOnline reported.
His parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, were convicted by juries earlier this year of involuntary manslaughter for failing to take any steps to get their son the help he obviously needed in the lead-up to the shootings. In fact, they bought him the gun he used. They were sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison each.
The Crumbleys fled their home and hid in Detroit after the shooting while police searched for them.
Their son’s attorneys filed earlier this month asking for the pre-sentencing investigation reports used in the parents’ trials, saying information the reports have about the family and home life could be helpful to their appeal, NBC News reported.
“Counsel has an able bodied client who can advise his own counsel as to his family,” James Crumbley’s attorneys said his reply declining the request.
Jennifer Crumbley also refused to release the documents.
A judge is expected to decide on the matter as early as this week.
Ethan Crumbley’s attorneys are also asking to allow lay witnesses in the appeal, in particular family members who can speak to his home environment. His original defense team declined to allow such witnesses.
