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Former FBI agent Steve Rogers argued that there was a disconnect between police and prosecutors in the Michigan high school shooting trial
Experts say that guns used in school shootings in the United States usually come from the homes of young perpetrators, but parents are rarely charged for violence.
After four students at Oxford High School in southeastern Michigan were shot, this is why the lawsuit against Ethan Crumbley's parents is not common. Oakland County Attorney Karen MacDonald said that Jennifer and James Cubley ignored the opportunity to intervene, just a few hours before the bloodshed.
They were charged with four counts of manslaughter, while the 15-year-old Ethan was charged with an adult with murder, terrorism and other crimes.
On December 1, 2021, James (left) and Jennifer Crumbley interrogated their son Ethan Crumbley in Rochester Hills, Michigan. (District Court through the Associated Press)
Crumbley's parents were detained early on Saturday and later appeared in court. After they pleaded not guilty, the judge set a security deposit of $500,000 for each. Their lawyers said they will fight the charges.
Michigan school shooting: Attorney Crumbley claims that the gun has been locked, accuses prosecutors of creating a media circus
Let's take a look at the problems faced by parents:
According to investigators, the semi-automatic pistol used in the shooting on Tuesday was purchased by James Crumbley on November 26 while his son was standing in the store.
On Thanksgiving weekend, Jennifer Crubley called it his son’s "Christmas gift" on social media, and Ethan posted a photo on social media calling it his "new beauty", MacDonald Say.
With some very limited exceptions, minors in Michigan are not allowed to own guns. But there is no law in Michigan that requires car owners to lock guns away from children.
"So many states have done this. 23 states plus Washington, DC, have some form of secure storage laws," said Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.
This image from the 52-1 District Court shows the Zoom subpoena of Jennifer and James Crumbley at Oakland, Michigan, on Saturday, December 4, 2021. (52-1 The District Court approves the Associated Press)
When appearing in court on Saturday, lawyer Shannon Smith said the gun used was locked, but she did not say how their son got it.
"This is an unusual allegation," said Eve Brensike Primus, a professor of criminal procedure at the University of Michigan Law School.
Police said that Ethan Crubley came out of the bathroom and started shooting at other students in the corridors of Oxford High School. A few hours ago, he and his parents met with school officials. The prosecutor said that a teacher found a painting on his desk and pointed a gun at the words "Thinking will not stop. Help me."
Ethan, who has no disciplinary record, was told to accept counseling, but was allowed to stay at school. MacDonald said that his backpack did not check weapons.
Primus said that the authorities must prove the parents' gross negligence and causality, or behavior that caused certain things.
“Prosecutors will need facts to support the argument that these parents do know that their son might shoot someone to death,” she said. "It's not just that their son is in trouble in some ways. This is a homicide charge and will be sentenced to years in jail. This is not a small charge."
This image from the 52-1 District Court shows the Zoom summons against James Crumbley at Oakland, Michigan, on Saturday, December 4, 2021. (52-1 The District Court approves the Associated Press)
This picture from the 52-1 District Court shows that Jennifer Crumbley and her husband James Crumbley were summoned at the Oakland, Michigan company on Saturday, December 4, 2021. (52-1 The District Court approves the Associated Press)
In 2000, a man in the Flint area disputed unintentional manslaughter after a 6-year-old boy who lived with him found a gun in a shoebox and killed a classmate.
Parents of Michigan shooting suspect Ethan Crumbley plead not guilty to involuntary manslaughter charges
A 2019 assessment by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security found that in 76% of school attacks where guns were used, the guns came from the homes of parents or close relatives. In about half of the time, guns are easily accessible.
But experts say that laws aimed at restricting the entry of guns are not always enforced and vary in strength.
"Our laws have not really adapted to the reality of school shootings. The closest we are to these child access prevention laws," said Chris Brown, chairman of the Brady Gun Control Advocacy Group.
In 2020, the mother of an Indiana teenager was sentenced to probation for failing to remove a gun from her home after her mentally ill son threatened to kill a student. In 2018, he shot inside the school. No one was injured, but the boy committed suicide.
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In Washington State, the father of a boy killed four students in a high school in 2014 and was found guilty of illegal possession of a firearm. Although one of his guns was used, he was not charged for the shooting.
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Do not publish, disseminate, adapt or redistribute this material. ©2021 FOX News Network Co., Ltd. all rights reserved. Quotes are displayed in real time or delayed for at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Supported and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Notices. Mutual funds and ETF data are provided by Refinitiv Lipper.