Midwest
Michigan school shooter's mom wants house arrest, backtracks on regrets as killer's parents face sentencings
The parents of Oxford High School shooter Ethan Crumbley are set to be sentenced on Tuesday after two juries found both parents guilty of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the November 2021 massacre.
Prosecutors are asking Oakland County Judge Cheryl Matthews to sentence James and Jennifer Crumbley to serve between 10 and 15 years each, but the Crumbleys’ defense attorneys are asking for time served, meaning no other prison time other than what they have already served awaiting their trials.
Jennifer is also asking for house arrest and proposed living in her attorney’s guesthouse.
“I think that’s very strange. I’ve never heard of a situation like that,” Detroit-based criminal defense attorney Maurice Davis told Fox News Digital of Jennifer’s request.
JAMES CRUMBLEY TRIAL: MICHIGAN JURY REACHES VERDICT FOR SCHOOL SHOOTER’S FATHER
James and Jennifer Crumbley are asking to be sentenced to time served or no additional prison time. (Mandi Wright/Detroit Free Press via AP/Pool)
Prosecutor Marc Keast described the parents’ proposed sentences of time served as “a slap in the face” to the shooting victims in a memo released last week, adding that both parents have shown “a lack of remorse” for their roles in the tragedy, according to local reports.
At one point during her trial, Jennifer said she “wouldn’t have” done anything differently if given the chance.
JENNIFER CRUMBLEY TRIAL: MICHIGAN JURY FINDS SCHOOL SHOOTER’S MOM GUILTY OF INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER
Jennifer Crumbley reacts after seeing video of her son, which showed him walking through Oxford High School during his Nov. 30, 2021, shooting rampage, in the courtroom of Oakland County Judge Cheryl Matthews on Jan. 25, 2024, in Pontiac, Michigan. (Mandi Wright/Detroit Free Press via AP/Pool)
“Of course, I look back after all this happened, and I have asked myself if I would have done anything differently. I wouldn’t have,” Jennifer testified, adding that she wishes her son would have killed her and her husband, James Crumbley, “instead.”
In a pre-sentencing statement, Jennifer Crumbley backtracked on her own testimony.
WATCH: Jennifer Crumbley testifies during her trial
“At trial, when I was on the stand I was asked if I would have done anything differently, I testified that I would not have — and that is true without the benefit of of (sic) hindsight that I have now,” Crumbley wrote, according to the Detroit News. “With the information I have now, of course my answer would be hugely different. There are so many things that I would change if I could go back in time. I knew my son to be a quiet, good kid, who loved his pets. I never imagined he would hurt other people in the way that he did.”
“I knew my son to be a quiet, good kid, who loved his pets.”
Keast said in the memo that consistent with Jennifer’s “efforts to minimize her culpability directly after the shooting, defendant — now even after trial — continues to show a complete lack of remorse by minimizing any role she had in the matter,” the Detroit Free Press reported.
James and Jennifer Crumbley are set to be sentenced on April 9. (Oakland County Sheriff’s Office via AP/File)
“Demonstrating this fact, defendant thinks a proportionate sentence is to ‘be placed on a tether with house arrest’ at her attorney’s guest house — ostensibly an upgraded residence from … where she resided before her gross negligence that led to the Oxford High School shooting,” Keast wrote.
MICHIGAN SCHOOL SHOOTER’S MOTHER JENNIFER CRUMBLEY CALLED SON AN ‘OOPSIE BABY,’ WITNESS SAYS
Jennifer’s attorney, Shannon Smith, wrote in court documents that “[p]utting Mrs. Crumbley in prison does nothing to further deter others from committing like offenses.”
“There is no person who would want the events of November 30, 2021, to repeat themselves,” she wrote, according to the Detroit News.
Jennifer Crumbley and her husband were found guilty of contributing to the deaths at Oxford High School by neglecting the needs of their son, Ethan Crumbley, and making a gun accessible at home. (Mandi Wright/Detroit Free Press via AP/Pool)
“Mrs. Crumbley was damned no matter what she did or did not do,” Smith continued. “At trial Mrs. Crumbley’s reactions to the tragic events and learning what her son did were criticized at every turn. The prosecution certainly tried to convey that Mrs. Crumbley did not care enough about what was going on, that she did not cry enough, and that she did not behave the way a mother of a school shooter would behave.”
Meanwhile, James Crumbley is under fire for allegedly making threats toward Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald in jail calls.
MICHIGAN MOM ON TRIAL FOR SON’S DEADLY SHOOTING MASSACRE RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT PARENT CULPABILITY IN SHOOTINGS
McDonald’s office said in a March press release that the “threats are serious, and they also reflect a lack of remorse and a continued refusal to take accountability for his part in the deaths of” the four students who were murdered on Nov. 30, 2021, including Tate Myre, 16; Justin Shilling, 16; Hana St. Juliana, 14; and Madisyn Baldwin, 17.
Ethan Crumbley, at age 15, walked into Oxford High School on the morning of Nov. 30, 2021, went to morning classes, met with the school counselor with his parents, and was sent back to class before he took a gun out of his backpack and killed 16-year-old Tate Myre, 16-year-old Justin Shilling, 14-year-old Hana St. Juliana and 17-year-old Madisyn Baldwin. (FOX 2 Detroit)
“Leading up to and during trial, defendant’s behavior and statements showed a complete lack of remorse and disrespect for the court proceedings,” prosecutors wrote in a memo in James’ case, according to the Free Press. “Defendant’s jail calls showed that he blamed everyone but himself for what happened and that he repeatedly referred to himself as being persecuted and considered himself a ‘martyr.’”
OXFORD HIGH SCHOOL SHOOTER’S MOTHER ASKS TO DISMISS 3 WITNESSES, ‘GRUESOME’ EVIDENCE THAT COULD ANGER JURY
His attorney, Mariell Lehman, wrote in a memo that while “reviewing the phone calls which are alleged to contain threats of physical harm, it is clear that Mr. Crumbley is venting to loved ones about his frustrations related to the lack of investigation done by the prosecution prior to authorizing charges against him and his wife,” the Detroit News reported.
She added that James expressed remorse for those who died in the 2021 shooting in jail calls.
James Crumbley was charged with involuntary manslaughter, accused of failing to secure a gun at home, and ignoring his son’s mental health. Ethan Crumbley killed four students at Oxford High School in 2021. (Mandi Wright/Detroit Free Press via AP/Pool)
“He repeatedly expressed that he wished he had known and that he would have done things differently if he had,” Lehman said.
Oxford police said Ethan used a 9 mm SIG Sauer to shoot up Oxford High School on Nov. 30, 2021. James purchased the firearm, which contained several rounds of ammunition when authorities recovered it, for his then-15-year-old son just days before the massacre. Jennifer posted about the purchase on social media, calling it a Christmas gift for her teenage son.
Ethan pleaded guilty to murder and terrorism last year. He is serving life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Video showing Jennifer Crumbley with her son, Ethan Crumbley, at a gun range for target practice on Nov. 27, 2021, is shown in the courtroom during Jennifer Crumbley’s trial on Jan. 25, 2024, in Pontiac, Michigan. (Mandi Wright/Detroit Free Press via AP/Pool)
Prosecutors have suggested the Crumbleys could have stopped the shooting before it happened when they arrived at Oxford High on the morning of Nov. 30 to meet with school counselors after Ethan was caught scrawling disturbing notes in class.
His notes included an image of a gun and the phrases “Help me,” “Blood everywhere” and “My life is useless,” along with a drawing of a gun.
MICHIGAN SCHOOL SHOOTER ETHAN CRUMBLEY’S FATHER CALLS HIM ‘PERFECT KID’ IN INTERVIEW WITH POLICE
An Instagram post made by Jennifer Crumbley is shown in the courtroom during her trial on Jan. 25, 2024, in Pontiac, Michigan. (Mandi Wright/Detroit Free Press via AP/Pool)
Instead of taking their son home, prosecutors said, James and Jennifer left him at school and went about their day. Ethan later pulled his father’s handgun, which had not been locked in their home, out of his backpack, fatally shot four students and wounded seven others.
Prosecutors have pointed to Ethan’s journal entries, text messages and videos saying he wanted help and his parents were ignoring him. The day before the school massacre, Ethan made a 19-minute video describing what he was going to do the next day, prosecutors said during Jennifer’s trial.
After the shooting, the Crumbleys allegedly fled Oxford and went to Detroit with $6,000 in cash following some initial questioning from police. U.S. Marshals eventually apprehended them days later on Dec. 4, 2021.
Read the full article from Here
Detroit, MI
Where to watch Houston Astros vs Detroit Tigers: TV channel, start time, streaming for June 26
What to know about MLB’s ABS robot umpire strike zone system
MLB launches ABS challenge system as players test robot umpire calls in a groundbreaking season.
The 2026 MLB season has surpassed the quarter mark, and after each team’s first 40 games, there’s plenty of reasons to tune in all summer long.
Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami has already proven doubters wrong by launching 17 home runs, Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes consistently looks like the best version of himself on the mound and Milwaukee ace Jacob Misiorowski is throwing harder than any starter in the majors.
The MLB action continues on Friday as the Houston Astros visit the Detroit Tigers.
Here’s everything you need to know to tune in for the first pitch.
See USA TODAY’s sortable MLB schedule to filter by team or division.
What time is Houston Astros vs Detroit Tigers?
First pitch between the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. (ET) on Friday, June 26.
How to watch Houston Astros vs Detroit Tigers on Friday
All times Eastern and accurate as of Friday, June 26, 2026, at 6:34 a.m.
Watch MLB all season long with Fubo
MLB regional blackout restrictions apply
MLB scores, results
MLB scores for June 26 games are available on usatoday.com . Here’s how to access today’s results:
See scores, results for all of today’s games.
Milwaukee, WI
We must have answers before awarding new wastewater contract | Opinion
Milwaukee’s current wastewater treatment contract holder, Veolia Water Milwaukee, is under fire, with some calling for an audit.
A look at MMSD’s South Shore and Jones Island wastewater plants
A look at MMSD’s South Shore and Jones Island plants as leaders weigh a contested $700M, 10-year operations contract in Milwaukee.
It goes without saying that Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) is an essential community asset.
Recently, MMSD has been in the news and not in a good way. The MMSD Commission voted to approve an audit of the district’s private wastewater operator. This is less than six weeks after the community organization Common Ground launched a public campaign calling for an audit of Veolia Water Milwaukee, alleging mismanagement of the Jones Island and South Shore wastewater treatment facilities.
I was briefly on a six-member MMSD advisory committee for the 1998 United Water Services contract. Now 28 years, and 2008, 2018, contracts later, the question is what firm to hire for the 2028 contract. I read Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Urban Milwaukee articles, whistle-blower letters and other materials and jotted down concerns listed below (there are others):
- Veolia cut corners on treatment time and process chemicals
- Veolia allowed MMSD assets — buildings and process equipment — to deteriorate
- Veolia provided inadequate staffing
- Employees, particularly those who questioned management, were treated poorly
- Reversing these conditions will be very expensive, if it is even possible to do so
Aren’t these issues sufficient to disqualify Veolia from future consideration?
MMSD has an innovative civil engineering history.
The national American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) designated the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewage Treatment Plant a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark when they honored Milwaukee in 1974 for developing the waste-activated sludge treatment process and pioneering a beneficial reuse of biosolids (Milorganite). MMSD has also been recognized for the Deep Tunnel and many innovative infrastructure and flood management projects over the years.
Wisconsin has a strong civil engineering community, which includes the American Society of Civil Engineers-Wisconsin Section (ASCE-WI); five civil engineering university programs with three —Marquette, MSOE and UW-Milwaukee — in Milwaukee); as well as many technical school and apprenticeship programs. Civil engineering projects require many types of expertise and skills.
Is anyone asking questions such as what should be the future of wastewater treatment in Milwaukee? Or what do citizens know about wastewater treatment? Or what do citizens need to know about treatment options to make informed decisions about parameters such as feasibility, public health, environmental protection, costs and financing?
Before the next contract is decided and awarded, shouldn’t human waste generators (citizens), civil engineers and the wastewater industry be asking some of these important questions?
Carol Diggelman, PhD, Emerita Professor, Milwaukee School of Engineering, where she taught for over 30 years, has since retiring, resumed volunteer activities with the League of Women Voters and organized many programs at the intersection of infrastructure and natural resources.
Minneapolis, MN
Reform, money and trust: Council members’ key criteria for Minneapolis’ next police chief
Minneapolis leaders agree the next police chief is a critical choice, but it remains unclear whether the mayor and City Council can align on a candidate.
Mayor Jacob Frey declined an interview on the topic after announcing the hiring process and timeline earlier in the week. But 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS spoke with City Council Member and Public Health, Safety & Equity Committee Chair Jason Chavez and Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw, the prior Public Health, Safety & Equity Committee Chair.
All agree the police chief is one of the most important roles in Minneapolis.
Asked what it would take to get enough members on board with a candidate so that they can be confirmed, Council Member Vetaw said, “I think we’re figuring some of those things out, but what I hear from all council members is someone who’s strong on reform and wants to actually get reforms done right.”
Vetaw added that the next permanent chief should also have a strong record on slowing overspending.
“We need somebody who’s really going to reel that in and handle our money with care. I think those are two things that I hear from all of my colleagues,” she said.
Brian O’Hara resigns as Minneapolis police chief after report shows he interfered with investigation into his conduct
Asked the same question, Council Member Chavez agreed on key candidate criteria, but he expressed less confidence in the hiring process.
“Well, I mean, I’ve cleared out — I’ve laid out some of the things that I would like to see in a candidate,” Chavez said. “And then I want us to feel included in this process, so they can hear our feedback, and I want there to be robust community engagement. I don’t think that it’s oppositional to this plan. I guess my only thing is I want to make sure that all 13 members are included in this process.”
“I really care about community engagement, I really care about the criteria, and I want to make sure that the police chief that comes into Minneapolis is strongly committed to police accountability,” he continued.
“People want transparency and accountability. They want someone who can speak to the community, and it’s truthful,” Vetaw said.
“Like, we’re all looking for the same kind of leader.”
The question comes as Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette, as the head of the department overseeing MPD and nominated by Mayor Frey in April, remains without enough City Council votes to be reappointed. Vetaw supports Barnette, while Chavez does not.
Vetaw said the lack of agreement over Commissioner Barnette is not an omen for the process of hiring a new MPD chief.
“I don’t believe that what’s happening with the commissioner is a direct reflection on the process for searching for a new chief. I think this council certainly separates those two,” she said.
“Do I want to move fast? Absolutely not. I want to move at a pace where we get the best person for the job … and I think we all want that. This is one of the most important roles in the city of Minneapolis.”
Chavez said he hopes the process leads to a chief he can support.
Asked if he believes he’ll be able to put his vote behind the candidate ultimately nominated by the mayor at the end of the process, Chavez said, “I would hope so.”
“And I want to be able to vote for a chief,” he continued. “I just think that we have to make sure that there’s a robust process that includes all council members, and that ensures that the voices of our community are not being left out.”
Former Chief Brian O’Hara was unanimously confirmed in 2022, though the council had a few different members at the time.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Mayor Frey said, “Mayor Frey has been very clear that the search for a new police chief will be a collaborative process that includes community, City staff, and Council Members.”
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS will continue tracking the selection process, including its cost to taxpayers.
-
Health1 minute agoSwitching from cigarettes to vapes linked to higher risk of major eye diseases, large study finds
-
Sports6 minutes ago2026 World Cup Odds: Which Nations are Favored to Reach Semifinals?
-
Technology13 minutes agoWorld Cup ticket scams target desperate fans
-
Business16 minutes ago
Snap sued by parents of girl who was raped by man she met on Snapchat
-
Entertainment21 minutes ago‘The Bear’ at closing time: Ayo Edebiri and Jeremy Allen White reflect on five seasons
-
Lifestyle28 minutes agoL.A. Affairs: After decades of near-misses, I finally told him: ‘I’m not leaving here without you’
-
Politics31 minutes agoTrump budget request omits funds for L.A. fire relief, prompting criticism from senators
-
Science36 minutes agoEPA touts crackdown on smuggled pesticides in L.A. visit