Prosecutors urged a Michigan judge on Tuesday to reject school shooter Ethan Crumbley’s attempt to withdraw his guilty plea for the 2021 Oxford High School shooting that killed four students.
Crumbley, 18, pleaded guilty to multiple charges at 16 and is serving a life sentence. His new appellate attorneys argue that his mental health at the time made him unable to fully understand the implications of waiving his right to trial.
Legal Threshold for Withdrawing Guilty Plea
The Oakland County prosecutor’s office countered that Crumbley has not met Michigan’s legal standards to withdraw a plea.
“Crumbley cannot withdraw his plea merely because he has changed his mind,” assistant prosecutor Joseph Shada said in a court filing. Shada added that Crumbley signed documentation confirming he had discussed his plea with his lawyers and had his questions answered before pleading guilty.
Defense Pushes for Reduced Sentence
Crumbley’s appellate team is also seeking a review of his life sentence. They argue that new evidence about his turbulent childhood, including exposure to alcohol during pregnancy, should factor into reconsideration of his punishment.
Prosecutors maintain that the life sentence is proportionate and constitutional, even considering claims of fetal alcohol syndrome.
Judge Kwame Rowe has not yet announced a ruling on the matter.
The Oxford High School Tragedy
On November 30, 2021, a then 15-year-old Crumbley brought a gun to Oxford High School, killing four students and injuring several others. Earlier that day, his parents were summoned to discuss disturbing drawings and writings found on a school assignment. Despite the alarming material, they did not take him home, nor was his backpack searched for a weapon.
The victims of the shooting were Hana St. Juliana, Madisyn Baldwin, Tate Myre, and Justin Shilling.
Parents of Shooter Serve Time for Involuntary Manslaughter
James and Jennifer Crumbley, Ethan’s parents, are serving 10-year prison sentences for involuntary manslaughter. They were convicted for providing their son with access to the gun used in the attack and ignoring his mental health struggles.
The Crumbleys were the first parents in the United States to be convicted in connection with a school shooting perpetrated by their child.
