Accused Michigan school shooter Ethan Crumbley is expected to take the stand in his parents’ involuntary manslaughter trial, it was revealed Monday.
Attorneys for James and Jennifer Crumbley said at a hearing in Oakland County Circuit Court that the teenager would be questioned on “extraneous matters” — and not the November 30 shooting at Oxford High School that killed four.
“We need him as a witness in this trial,” said Shannon Smith, who represents Jennifer Crumbley. “There are just certain questions we would just not be able to ask. We do understand that.”
Calling the teen to the stand “is not about the defendants wanting to throw their son under the bus or make him look bad.” Smith said when questioned by the court, adding, “This is about our clients defending the case.”
During Monday’s hearing, Judge Cheryl Matthews also ruled on several outstanding pre-trial matters — including throwing out some evidence prosecutors had hoped to present.
She found that details about how the Crumbleys allegedly kept a messy home, used marijuana and drank alcohol was irrelevant to the case and would not be admitted at trial, Detroit’s Fox 2 reported.
Similarly, Matthews threw out evidence speaking to the couple’s reported marital problems, including an alleged affair Jennifer Crumbley was having.
James and Jennifer Crumbley were charged with involuntary manslaughter for having purchased a gun for their son in the days leading up to the shooting, and allegedly failing to take action when alerted of his concerning behavior. Their trial is tentatively set to begin in October.
Ethan Crumbley, now 16, faces murder charges and is expected to go on trial in January.
With Post wires
