PONTIAC, Mich. (WXYZ) — A motion hearing was held Friday for James Crumbley, the father of the Oxford High School shooter, in his quest to get a new trial.
James was convicted on four counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection to the shooting. His son, the shooter, killed four students at Oxford High School in November 2021. Those students were Hana St. Juliana, Tate Myre, Madisyn Baldwin and Justin Shilling.
James Crumbley himself wasn’t in court today, but his attorneys were, as he is now requesting a new trial or for his conviction to be thrown out altogether.
Watch the hearing in the video below
Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Cheryl Matthews heard the arguments Friday morning from the defense as to why James Crumbley deserves a new trial and from the prosecution as to why he deserves to remain behind bars.
“This case, your honor, is gut wrenching, it is heartbreaking and it is traumatic for an entire community but our rules and the court’s obligation to ensure due process and a fair trial and full and fair cross-examination cannot bend to emotion your honor," said Alona Sharon, James Crumbley's attorney.
Sharon argued that her client did not deserve his involuntary manslaughter conviction after James' son opened fire and killed four students at Oxford High School.
She argues he did not have a fair trial because evidence was withheld, the shooter wasn’t ordered to testify and a late discovery was made after the verdict came down.
“Mr. Crumbley is entitled to a new trial for a number of reasons, the least of which are the concealed proffer agreements," she said.
Adam Wright, a professor at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, explained what those agreements entailed.
"The prosecutor's office wanted to interview two school officials about the circumstances of the shooting. As part of their interview with the government, they signed a proffer agreement, which basically said that the government couldn't use the statements they provided to the prosecutor against them," said Wright.
Wright says the judge now has to decide if these reasons are enough for a new trial.
"I think the judge has two questions that she's working to answer. The first is, was this a violation, either of the discovery rules or of the constitution? And second, if there was a violation, what's the appropriate remedy?" he said.
The prosecution says nothing malicious was happening behind the scenes regarding evidence and the defense is just looking for a way to get James Crumbley another chance.
“I don’t want to leave the court with the impression that there was an effort to hide evidence or gain an unfair advantage," said Marc Keast, assistant prosecutor with the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office.
Meanwhile, parents who had children trapped inside the school during the shooting say the continuous legal back and fourth is reopening old wounds.
"They were found guilty by a jury of their peers. And the fact that they continue to go back and try to undo this is wrong," said Staci Brodeur, parent of an Oxford High School student.
Watch below: James Crumbley speaks ahead of his sentencing connected to Oxford High School shooting
No decision was made regarding James on Friday and no decision has been made regarding his wife, Jennifer, who filed a similar motion months ago. But the community hopes this chapter can be closed soon.
His attorneys are hoping a judge will order a new trial for James related to proffer agreements prosecutors made with two former school employees: Nick Ejak, the former dean of students, and Shawn Hopkins, a former counselor.
Both the prosecution and defense will now wait for the judge’s ruling, which she said could be at least a month.
