(WXYZ) — A jury found Jennifer Crumbley, mom of the Oxford High School shooter, guilty of involuntary manslaughter on Tuesday — and today, the trial outcome is what everybody is talking about across metro Detroit.
So many people watched the testimony, the arguments, and the jury's decision on Tuesday in real time.
I headed out today to talk to people in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties. I wanted to know if they thought the jury reached the right decision, and if they thought it would raise the stakes when it comes to the responsibility of parents.
There were so many different perspectives and thoughts when it came to this verdict.
I met Lois Plummer in Royal Oak. She told me she feels sorry for both sides.
“Don’t give her too much time. But I understand she didn’t do what she should have done," said Lois, who lives in Westland.
Lois is a mother of 10 herself.
“And you know for me to be accountable for all 10 of them, come on. You know it’s really hard to keep up with them,” she said. “I feel sorry for her but still … I realize she didn’t do what she should have done as a mother."
Ken, who lives in Berkley, said the courts wanted to set an example with this case.
I asked if he thought it sent a message to parents.
“Yes. Yes. Not to let their kids get away with anything anymore. You know, keep a closer eye on them," he responded. “They’re thinking a lot more today than they did the other day. No doubt about it.”
I also caught up with Dana Holland and Falisha Burns along the Detroit Riverwalk.
“It’s kind of messed up the way it went to where she was found guilty. I kind of feel sympathy for her because of that. But I did see where she was, had took her son to the gun range," said Dana.
Falisha told me she thinks it could change the way fault is allocated in future school shootings.
“They see the problem starts at home first. You know, if you can’t hold your kids accountable for what they’re doing at home, yeah, then someone will have to do it for you," she said.
Lenders Williams, a mother of two from Detroit, believes some responsibility falls on Jennifer Crumbley's shoulders.
“It at least wakes her up. Even if she don’t do that much time. You know some punishment, you don’t just let it happen and get away with doing nothing," she said.
Over in Macomb County, Warren Jackson admitted he's not settled on the outcome of the verdict yet.
Do you think parents with kids who have problems are going to be thinking twice today? I asked him.
“I would hope so,” said Warren. “I think a parent in that situation should bear some responsibility, but it could be a slippery slope.”
lt was a similar sentiment with Lisa Edwards of St. Clair Shores.
“I am on the fence with that, because I feel like her son was determined to do what he did and he would have done it with or without mom and dad purchasing him that gun," she said. “Should mom and dad have purchased him that gun and him with his mental state, probably not.”
She added, “And these kids, if they’re in school, and they’ve got issues, they need to know they can talk to somebody. You know, I grew up in a time when we got paddled at school, there was God in school. They took all that away and look where we’re at.”
