Prosecutors seek life without parole sentence for Oxford High School shooter
Kara BergOakland County prosecutors plan to seek a life sentence without the chance of parole for the teenage boy who killed four classmates and injured a teacher and six other students at Oxford High School last year.
Ethan Crumbley, 16, pleaded guilty Oct. 24 to terrorism causing death, four counts of first-degree murder, seven counts of attempted murder and 12 counts of felony firearm. Crumbley killed Oxford students Madisyn Baldwin, Tate Myre, Hana St. Juliana and Justin Shilling.
The Oakland County Prosecutor's Office filed a motion Monday notifying the court that it planned to seek a life without parole sentence.
"As we previously stated, there have been no plea bargains, no charge reductions, and no sentence agreements," David Williams, Oakland County's chief assistant prosecutor, said Tuesday in a statement. "The shooter has been offered and promised nothing. The motion filed yesterday is a formal declaration of our intent to seek the maximum possible sentence in this case."
More:Emotions run high as Ethan Crumbley pleads guilty in Oxford High shooting
Paulette Michel Loftin, Crumbley’s lawyer, said in October before Crumbley entered his plea that he was remorseful and wanted to accept accountability and do the right thing. Pleading guilty was his idea, she said.
Crumbley was 15 years old at the time of the shooting on Nov. 30, 2021.
Loftin did not respond for comment Tuesday.
A first-degree murder conviction usually comes with an automatic life without parole sentence, but teenagers are entitled to a hearing where their attorneys can argue for a lighter sentence and present mitigating testimony and evidence about their client's life. Prosecutors can also put on a case for why their requested sentence is warranted. This hearing is held because of a 2012 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that found mandatory life sentences without parole for juveniles are unconstitutional.
The sentencing process is scheduled to start in February.
Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald has said that "every person who was in Oxford High School that day will have a chance, if they want to, to speak in their own words about how this has affected them."
Ethan's parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, are charged with four counts each of involuntary manslaughter. Prosecutors accused them of "gross negligence" leading up to the murders. They face up to 15 years in prison.
During his plea hearing, Ethan said he gave his father the money to buy the gun and that it wasn't locked up the day of the shooting, which contradicts what his parents have said. According to court documents, the Crumbleys have maintained they did not know Ethan was a threat to anyone and have said the gun was in a locked drawer in their bedroom.
The day of the shooting, a teacher saw a piece of paper in front of Ethan with the words, "the thoughts won't stop, help me," a drawing of a bullet, the phrase "blood everywhere," a sketch of a person shot twice and bleeding, a laughing emoji, "my life is useless" and "the world is dead."
The day before the shooting, Ethan was seen searching for ammunition on his phone, McDonald has previously said.
McDonald said the school reached out to Jennifer Crumbley but did not hear back. Jennifer later texted her son: “LOL, I’m not gonna get mad at you, you have to learn to not get caught.”
The Associated Press contributed.
kberg@detroitnews.com