Oxford school shooting suspect's mom texted son not to kill himself, defense lawyers say
When Jennifer Crumbley texted her son "Don't do it" on the day of the deadly Oxford High School shooting, she was reaching out to tell him not to kill himself, according to a new court filing.
This detail was disclosed Wednesday in a document seeking a lower bond for Jennifer and James Crumbley, the parents of the shooting suspect, who are facing involuntary manslaughter charges in a novel case that seeks to hold parents responsible, in part, for a school shooting.
The couple are being held on $500,000 cash bonds each, though defense lawyers have asked a judge to reduce each to $100,000 cash, arguing the couple pose no danger to the public and have long ties to the community.
Defense attorneys for the first time gave their account of how the Crumbleys felt following the shooting, and why they believe the prosecution will not be able to prove its case, specifically, that the Crumbleys knew their son would shoot up his school with a gun they had bought him as an early Christmas present.
"The prosecution will not be able to prove that the Crumbleys ... knew their son was a danger to other students, or that they knew there was a situation that required them to take care to avoid injuring another," defense attorneys Shannon Smith and Mariell Lehman wrote in the filing.
"The Crumbleys, like every parent and community member, are devastated by the school shooting," the filing continued. "The last thing they expected was that a school shooting would take place, or that their son would be responsible. This situation is entirely devastating."
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The filing in Rochester Hills District Court then cited the Jennifer Crumbley's "Don't do it" text to Ethan Crumbley that has made international headlines. The distinction could be important if the prosecution plans to use the text as evidence Jennifer Crumbley knew her son was dangerous.
"When Mrs. Crumbley texted Ethan, 'Don't do it,' ... the shootings had already happened, Mr. Crumbley had determined the gun was missing and had notified authorities, and Mrs. Crumbley was texting her son to tell him not to kill himself," the defense states in the filing, later adding:
"They did not know Ethan was a threat to anyone; and they certainly did not anticipate or cause the tragedy that unfolded at Oxford High School."
The Nov. 30 shooting left four students dead and seven other people injured, including a teacher. According to prosecutors, four days before the shooting, the Crumbleys bought the gun that was used in the massacre as an early Christmas present for their son, who is now facing first-degree murder and terrorism charges.
According to prosecutors, the parents did not have the gun properly secured, though the defense has disputed that, stating in court records, "the Crumbleys did have the gun at issue in a locked and hidden location."
The defense has argued that Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald has filed "inappropriate" charges against the parents, and that their case will raise "unprecedented" legal issues.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Lawyers: Oxford shooting suspect's mom texted son not to kill himself
