PONTIAC, Mich. (WXYZ) — Monday morning, jury deliberations are scheduled to start in the Jennifer Crumbley trial. Her son killed four of his Oxford High School classmates in November 2021.
Oakland County Judge Cheryl Mathews will give jurors a packet with jury instructions. They'll have nearly 500 exhibits to go through and a computer to review the evidence if they choose.
Of the 17 jurors, 12 will deliberate and five will be selected as alternates at random. Also, the jury will pick a foreperson.
Earlier Monday in her closing arguments, Crumbley's defense attorney Shannon Smith reminded the jury it's the prosecution's responsibility to prove whether Crumbley is guilty of four counts of involuntary manslaughter.
"If you think it's likely, probable, possible, not likely — those are all 'not guilties.' You have to be sure beyond a reasonable doubt," Smith explained.
Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald told jurors, "It's a rare case. It takes some really egregious facts. It takes the unthinkable, and she has done the unthinkable and because of that, four kids have died."
During cross-examination, the prosecution questioned Crumbley about the gun purchase.
Legal expert and attorney Todd Flood told 7 Action News, "This is a case where there's 20-plus witnesses. There was a lot of material. So, no telling how long this deliberation will take. The shorter the deliberation, I think, doesn't bode well for the defendant. But we shall see."
He said he thinks the best the defense can hope for is a hung jury, which would then restart the process all over again.
Deliberations are set to begin Monday at 9 a.m.
Related: Closing arguments end in Jennifer Crumbley trial; jury deliberations set to begin Monday
