Attorney discusses Oxford High School parents seeking state investigation into deadly shooting
(CBS DETROIT) - Former federal prosecutor Rick Convertino says nothing is barring Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel from conducting an independent investigation into Oxford High School Shooting.
On Monday, parents of the victims said that's exactly what the Nessell has told them repeatedly.
"The attorney general for the state of Michigan unequivocally has the authority to conduct an independent investigation into the Crumbley shooting at Oxford High School," said Convertino.
In response to Monday's press conference, Nessel said the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office and the Oakland County Sheriff's Office declined any assistance from Nessel's office.
"My office has always respected local authority, and we never use our jurisdiction to supersede local or county-level criminal investigations," Nessel said. "Once a matter's being reviewed by local law enforcement, my department will only join in or take the lead in a criminal investigation or prosecution after the local authorities have provided a referral and asked us to. To this day, let me make it clear, neither the Oakland County Sheriff or the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office has ever asked us to take over any part of the criminal investigation into what took place in Oxford."
McDonald said she was not aware "of any action needed by my office to activate the Attorney General's authority, but we will do everything possible to enable such an investigation. And my office will fully cooperate with any such investigation."
"She is the head of the state law enforcement entity," Convertino told CBS News Detroit. "I'm not sure what her motivation might be. But the in-fighting between these offices is absolutely ridiculous. It's obscene."
At the end of the day, Convertino believes the families deserve the investigation, and the country deserves the outcome in order to make sure tragedies like Oxford High School never happen again.
"Everyone in the community deserves it," he said. "Let's put aside this petty nonsense and get this going."