Parents of Oxford school shooter granted separate trials
(CBS DETROIT) - The parents of the Oxford High School shooter were granted separate trials, according to court documents.
James and Jennifer Crumbley's attorneys filed the request Monday morning, claiming that separate trials are necessary to "avoid prejudice" and to "promote fairness."
They each have been charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection to the Oxford High School shooting that happened on Nov. 30, 2021, and took the lives of Tate Myre, Hana St. Juliana, Madisyn Baldwin and Justin Schilling, and injured seven others.
According to the court documents, additional witnesses came forward and were interviewed by police in Florida on Oct. 31. The prosecution provided police reports and audio recordings of the interviews to the defense on Nov. 2. Besides this, no further details about the witnesses or the details they gave were released.
James and Jennifer were granted separate trials Monday afternoon, according to court documents.
In October 2022, the Oxford shooter, who was 15 years old at the time of the shooting, pleaded guilty. In December 2021, he was charged with 24 counts, including terrorism causing death, four counts of first-degree premeditated murder, seven counts of assault with intent to murder, and 12 counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
In September, it was determined that the shooter is eligible to get life in prison without the possibility of parole. His sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 8.
The Crumbley parents are accused of not getting their son the necessary help he needed, buying him the gun and not taking their son home from school after school officials expressed concern over his drawings.