US jury finds mother of Michigan shooting victim guilty of involuntary manslaughter in 2021

Twelve jurors, who began their deliberations Monday morning at the Pontiac Courthouse in Michigan (Northern), delivered their verdicts Tuesday afternoon.

Jennifer Crumbley’s sentence will be announced on April 9, which could include up to 15 years in prison.

Ethan Crumbley, 17, had already been sentenced to life in prison for the shooting that killed four students between the ages of 14 and 17 and injured six others, as well as a teacher.

In closing arguments, prosecutor Karen McDonald asked the jury to convict Jennifer Crumbley of four counts of involuntary manslaughter, one for each victim.

Instead, her defense attorney Shannon Smith argued that Jennifer Crumbley could not be charged for the actions of her troubled son.

“Nobody could have imagined it,” Smith said. He asked, “Can every parent really be held responsible for everything their children do?”

During the trial, Karen Crumbley testified that her husband had bought her a gun as a Christmas gift a few days before the attack, and that she had taken the boy to a gun range.

The woman indicated that her husband was in charge of keeping the weapon in the house and was expected to use it only at the shooting range.

On the day of the shooting, the Crumblys were called to their son’s school after a teacher became concerned after seeing a violent drawing on Ethan’s desk.

Parents were shown pictures and advised to provide special support to the adolescents.

But they reportedly refused to take him home, so Ethan returned to his classroom. Later he went to the bathroom and came out firing from the gun kept in his bag.