Jennifer and James Crumbley Face Prison Time After Involuntary Manslaughter Conviction

Prosecutors in Michigan have recommended a minimum of 10 years in prison for Jennifer and James Crumbley, parents of the Oxford High School shooter, making them the first parents in the U.S. to be held criminally accountable for a school shooting.

The Crumbleys were convicted of involuntary manslaughter following the deadly shooting at Oxford High School in 2021, which left four students dead. Prosecutors filed court documents on Wednesday, highlighting the couple’s “chilling lack of remorse” and their failure to act responsibly, which they argue could have prevented the tragedy.

Jennifer Crumbley, 46, is said to have shown no remorse for her role, while James Crumbley, 47, is accused of neglecting his parental duties, including failing to secure the firearm used in the attack and ignoring their son’s mental health issues.

Though the Crumbleys were not accused of directly knowing about their son’s plan to carry out the shooting, prosecutors maintain that their negligence contributed to the deaths. The maximum sentence for involuntary manslaughter is 15 years in prison, but the court will decide on a minimum sentence during the sentencing hearing scheduled for April 9. The couple has already spent about two and a half years in jail since their arrest and would be eligible for parole consideration after serving the minimum sentence.

Jennifer Crumbley has reportedly expressed a desire to avoid prison, requesting instead to wear an electronic monitor and live with her attorney, Shannon Smith. James Crumbley has also sought release, though prosecutors have condemned these attempts, arguing that such a sentence would trivialise the tragedy and the negligence that led to the deaths.

The shooting took place after the Crumbleys attended a meeting at the school regarding a disturbing drawing made by their son, Ethan, which depicted a gun, a bullet, a wounded figure, and disturbing phrases like “The thoughts won’t stop. Help me.” Instead of taking Ethan home, the Crumbleys returned to work, leaving him at school. Hours later, Ethan, aged 15 at the time, used a Sig Sauer 9mm handgun purchased by his father just days earlier to carry out the shooting.

Ethan Crumbley, now 17, is currently serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to charges of murder and terrorism.

In a separate incident, during James Crumbley’s trial, the court discovered that he had made threats from jail against Karen McDonald, the elected county prosecutor, including a series of profanity-laden messages.