Jennifer Crumbley, the mother of the Oxford High School shooter, is seeking to have her conviction for involuntary manslaughter thrown out. Her new attorney argues that the prosecution made numerous missteps, including withholding evidence of secret deals made with school witnesses. These witnesses, according to the attorney, had a motive to shift responsibility away from themselves and onto Crumbley during the trial.
The attorney also argues that the prosecution wrongfully charged Crumbley, asserting contradictory theories, and that she had no legal duty to prevent the shooting. He also claims that the jury instructions were flawed and that Crumbley did not have adequate legal representation during the trial.
On the other hand, the prosecution maintains that Crumbley is responsible for the deaths of four students and that she could have prevented the shooting by taking appropriate action after learning about her son’s intentions. They defend their handling of the case and deny offering immunity to any witnesses. The prosecutor’s office argues that Crumbley’s actions and inactions were interconnected with her son’s, making her culpable.
The investigation also found that school officials failed to recognize warning signs and take appropriate action to prevent the shooting. Despite this, no charges were filed against the officials. Victims’ families have been pushing for accountability from school officials, referring to them as the fourth culprit in the tragedy.
Jennifer Crumbley’s conviction, as well as that of her husband, James Crumbley, who was also convicted in connection with the shooting, are being appealed. The shooter, their son, is also seeking to retract his guilty plea. The case has highlighted the need for gun safety laws, leading to the passage of a safe storage law in Michigan.
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