DETROIT — Oxford High School shooter Ethan Crumbley will remain in the Oakland County Jail and his sentencing hearing was tentatively scheduled for June 2 at a virtual hearing Friday morning before Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Kwame Rowe.
The Miller hearing, which must take place before sentencing a juvenile to life without parole, will take place in person at 9 a.m. once the prosecutors confirm that June 2 works for them, Rowe said.
Crumbley pleaded guilty to 24 criminal charges in October, including terrorism causing death and first-degree murder. Both of these charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison and the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office has previously stated that they plan to seek the maximum sentence of life without parole.
Crumbley was charged as an adult and admitted that he tried to kill Madisyn Baldwin, Tate Myre, Hana St. Juliana and Justin Shilling as well as six other students and one teacher during the shooting on Nov. 30, 2021.
In the 2012 case of Miller v. Alabama, the United States Supreme Court ruled that mandatory life sentences without the possibility of parole were unconstitutional for juveniles who committed homicides. During a Miller hearing attorneys can present evidence about their client's character and life circumstances that they believe should be considered at sentencing. These factors can include the client's family, home environment, peer pressure, failure to appreciate risks and consequences, past criminal behavior, remorse and the possibility of rehabilitation.
Friday's review hearing was required by law since Crumbley is 16 years old and currently held in the Oakland County jail, an adult facility. Review hearings must take place every 30 days and the next one is scheduled at 9 a.m. April 14.
Crumbley, his attorneys and the prosecutors were present via Zoom and said there was no new information related to Crumbley's placement at the jail.
"Based upon the information that has previously been presented to this court, the court does believe that it continues to be in the best interest of justice to continue the defendant's placement at the Oakland County Jail," Rowe said.
Crumbley's parents are also being held at the Oakland County Jail and have each been charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter. They have pleaded not guilty and face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
Three Michigan Court of Appeals judges weighed arguments earlier this month about whether there is sufficient evidence to send James and Jennifer Crumbley to trial on involuntary manslaughter charges, raising questions about how foreseeable the shooting was to the parents.
Judges Christopher Murray, Michael Riordan and Christopher Yates focused most of their questions on what the Crumbleys didn't do to prevent their son's mass shooting on Nov. 30, 2021, but defense lawyers countered that the court risked setting a precedent that opened all parents to legal liability for not doing certain things even though they aren't aware of their children's state of mind.
Michigan parents are rarely charged in connection with the crimes committed by their children. The hearing also was unusual because an Oakland County Circuit Court judge had already bound over the Crumbleys for trial, but the Michigan Supreme Court stepped in and delayed the proceeding until the Court of Appeals panel reviewed whether there was probable cause a crime was committed — which legal experts say requires a low level of proof — and should proceed to trial.
