Oxford school shooter Ethan Crumbley is planning to appeal, and his new lawyers said they will advise him to remain silent if he’s called to testify at either his mother’s or father’s trial for involuntary manslaughter charges, a court filing shows.
The notice to Oakland County Circuit Court from the State Appellate Defender Office was filed Monday — the eve of Jennifer Crumbley’s trial for involuntary manslaughter charges in connection with the Nov. 30, 2021 mass shooting at Oxford High School. It was submitted by assistant defender Jacqueline Ouvry on behalf of herself and fellow assistant defender Alison Swain, who’ve been appointed to represent the 17-year-old Crumbley in his appeal. Crumbley pleaded guilty in 2022 to all 24 crimes he was charged with for the Oxford shooting, including four counts of first-degree murder, and is serving life in prison without the possibility of parole.
As of late afternoon Tuesday, the web-accessible Michigan Court of Appeals records show no file for Ethan Crumbley.
In her letter to the court, Ouvry said she and Swain received their assignment on Jan. 8 and have not yet had the opportunity to speak with Crumbley. The letter further states, in part:
“I understand from communication with the attorneys in the (James Crumbley and Jennifer Crumbley) cases that Ethan Crumbley’s name appears on a witness list for at least one of these trials and that reports, records, and confidential communication subject to privilege held by Ethan will be sought to be introduced in these trials. I only became aware of the efforts to introduce reports, records, and confidential communications late Friday, January 19, 2024.
Given Ethan Crumbley’s ongoing appeal and the substantial overlap in the subject matter in these three cases, we will advise Ethan to invoke his right to remain silent, should he be called to testify in either pending trial.”
Ouvry also told the court that Crumbley will be advised to “assert all privileges and protection of confidential communication relevant to documents and witnesses” sought for the trials.
Jennifer Crumbley and James Crumbley, Ethan Crumbley’s father, face four counts of involuntary manslaughter, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $7,500 fine for each charge. Jury selection got underway Tuesday for Jennifer Crumbley’s case before Oakland County Circuit Judge Cheryl Matthews, and was expected to continue Wednesday. James Crumbley’s trial is scheduled for March before the same judge.
