On Friday, a judge denied a request by James and Jennifer Crumbley, parents of alleged Oxford High School shooter, Ethan Crumbley, to reduce their bail bond from $500,000 to $100,000. Prosecutors put forth new details about how they ignored warning signs of their son’s propensity towards violence.
James and Jennifer Crumbley have been charged with involuntary manslaughter. On Friday, they had petitioned for a reduction in their bail amount. The judge was persuaded by the arguments of the prosecutors which painstakingly detailed the actions of the parents which showed them to be flight risks as well careless towards getting their son therapy.
The prosecutors also brought forth new evidence that emphasized how they refused to see the warning signs. Not only did they buy Ethan a gun for Christmas but they were also negligent in many other ways, as the prosecutors unveiled new details.
Mark Keast assistant prosecutor told a judge that in August Ethan used a different gun and made a video. He sent a message to a friend that said that it was “time to shoot up the school–jk, jk, jk.” Jk apparently meant just kidding.
Ethan was enamoured by Nazi propaganda. He had a Nazi coin in his room. He also drew Nazi symbols in a notebook in which the family also made grocery lists.
In 2021, he has sent his mother messages, more than once that he thought that “there was a demon or a ghost or someone else inside the home.” Sometimes, she would not respond for hours.
Keast also mentioned that Ethan was looking at ads online about mental health after he had regularly been searching for school shootings as well as guns.
Keast said that they did not make therapy appointments for him nor did they check what was on his phone, room or browsers. He also mentioned other details that have already been reported before, in earlier articles.
In a separate court appearance. Ethan Crumbley and his legal team waived a key evidentiary hearing. Both the defense and the prosecution teams moved the case directly to trial court. No reason was given by either team.
Image Photo Credit (Oakland County Sheriff’s Office)
