James Crumbley
Detroit Free Press Editorial Page Editor Nancy Kaffer has a prediction in her latest column: James Crumbley, dad of mass school shooter Ethan Crumbley, will walk free at the end of his ongoing trial where he faces four counts of involuntary manslaughter in Oakland County Circuit Court.
His wife Jennifer was convicted last month on all four counts of involuntary manslaughter for essentially being a negligent mother and not doing enough to intervene before her son went on a shooting rampage at Oxford High School in November 2021, killing four students and wounding six others and a teacher.
James Crumbley is also charged with failing as a parent to do the right things.
What's the difference in cases?
"I'll be surprised if James Crumbley is convicted," Kaffer writes.
Because our culture routinely assigns responsibility for the behavior and safekeeping of children to mothers, even when fathers are involved in the lives of their children, and hold — or should hold — equal responsibility for their care and actions."
Kaffer cites a 2014 Buzzfeed investigation that showed mothers were sentenced to longer terms for failing to prevent abuse of their children, greater than the men who had absued them.
Closing arguments in James Crumbley's case began Wednesday.
Both Jennifer and her husband have been in the Oakland County Jail since early December 2021. Jennifer awaits sentencing.
Even if James were to walk, he'll have already served more than two years of jail time.
