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Jennifer Crumbley's Trial Continues with Debates Over Testimony and Digital Evidence
2024-01-30
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The trial of Jennifer Crumbley, the mother of the Oxford High School shooter, continues with testimony, marked by debates over potential testimony from the shooter and his psychiatrists.
Defense attorney Shannon Smith sought permission for them to testify due to the introduction of specific text messages as evidence during the trial. These messages were exchanges between the shooter and a friend, in which he revealed his mental health struggles and expressed frustration over his parents' failure to provide the necessary assistance.
During the shooter's Miller hearing, he acknowledged that his parents had no knowledge of his mental health issues or his intentions regarding the shooting. Smith argued, "I agree with this court, there's no case law, and that's why I am asking this court to make the decision to not allow these statements, pursuant to the court rule because I have no way to defend them."
The day's proceedings delved into the family's digital footprint, as the prosecution aimed to demonstrate that Jennifer Crumbley ignored warning signs that could have prevented the tragic mass shooting, which claimed the lives of four students.
Prosecutors emphasized that their case was not about criminalizing bad parenting but rather establishing a pattern leading up to the shooting. During this period, the convicted shooter repeatedly informed his mother of his need for help, yet no action was taken.
Ed Wagrowski, a computer crimes expert, testified about the data retrieved from the seven phones collected from the shooter and his parents. The prosecution focused on messages sent in March 2021, where the shooter expressed fear and anxiety, claiming he heard strange sounds and saw demons while home alone. His parents, however, seemingly ignored these distressing messages as they were occupied with other activities.
Despite the prosecution's efforts to establish a neglectful pattern, the defense contested this narrative.
In the afternoon session, the jury was shown Jennifer Crumbley's actions in the aftermath of the mass shooting, including her deletion of several messages while she and her husband were on the run.
The trial began with opening statements from both the prosecution and defense, with four witnesses testifying on the first day. Among them were Molly Darnell, a teacher who made eye contact with the shooter before shots were fired, and Kristy Gibson-Marshall, an Oxford assistant principal who encountered one of the victims after being shot.
Additionally, the manager of the store where James Crumbley purchased the gun used in the shooting testified, as did Special Agent Brett Brandon of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Defense attorney Shannon Smith started her opening statement by referencing Taylor Swift's song "Bad Blood" and suggested that the prosecution's approach was akin to applying a Band-Aid to a bullet hole. She argued that Jennifer Crumbley had no way of foreseeing the shooting and claimed that school officials allowed her son to remain at school on the day of the tragedy.
The prosecution is expected to call 20-25 witnesses over the next two weeks of the trial. Jury selection concluded with a 17-person jury comprising 10 women and seven men.
Jennifer and James Crumbley face four counts of involuntary manslaughter for their role in the tragic Oxford High School shooting in November 2021. Prosecutors allege that the parents purchased the gun used in the shooting and failed to provide their son with the necessary help. The shooter was sentenced to life in prison without parole in December 2023.
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Defense attorney Shannon Smith sought permission for them to testify due to the introduction of specific text messages as evidence during the trial. These messages were exchanges between the shooter and a friend, in which he revealed his mental health struggles and expressed frustration over his parents' failure to provide the necessary assistance.
During the shooter's Miller hearing, he acknowledged that his parents had no knowledge of his mental health issues or his intentions regarding the shooting. Smith argued, "I agree with this court, there's no case law, and that's why I am asking this court to make the decision to not allow these statements, pursuant to the court rule because I have no way to defend them."
The day's proceedings delved into the family's digital footprint, as the prosecution aimed to demonstrate that Jennifer Crumbley ignored warning signs that could have prevented the tragic mass shooting, which claimed the lives of four students.
Prosecutors emphasized that their case was not about criminalizing bad parenting but rather establishing a pattern leading up to the shooting. During this period, the convicted shooter repeatedly informed his mother of his need for help, yet no action was taken.
Ed Wagrowski, a computer crimes expert, testified about the data retrieved from the seven phones collected from the shooter and his parents. The prosecution focused on messages sent in March 2021, where the shooter expressed fear and anxiety, claiming he heard strange sounds and saw demons while home alone. His parents, however, seemingly ignored these distressing messages as they were occupied with other activities.
Despite the prosecution's efforts to establish a neglectful pattern, the defense contested this narrative.
In the afternoon session, the jury was shown Jennifer Crumbley's actions in the aftermath of the mass shooting, including her deletion of several messages while she and her husband were on the run.
The trial began with opening statements from both the prosecution and defense, with four witnesses testifying on the first day. Among them were Molly Darnell, a teacher who made eye contact with the shooter before shots were fired, and Kristy Gibson-Marshall, an Oxford assistant principal who encountered one of the victims after being shot.
Additionally, the manager of the store where James Crumbley purchased the gun used in the shooting testified, as did Special Agent Brett Brandon of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Defense attorney Shannon Smith started her opening statement by referencing Taylor Swift's song "Bad Blood" and suggested that the prosecution's approach was akin to applying a Band-Aid to a bullet hole. She argued that Jennifer Crumbley had no way of foreseeing the shooting and claimed that school officials allowed her son to remain at school on the day of the tragedy.
The prosecution is expected to call 20-25 witnesses over the next two weeks of the trial. Jury selection concluded with a 17-person jury comprising 10 women and seven men.
Jennifer and James Crumbley face four counts of involuntary manslaughter for their role in the tragic Oxford High School shooting in November 2021. Prosecutors allege that the parents purchased the gun used in the shooting and failed to provide their son with the necessary help. The shooter was sentenced to life in prison without parole in December 2023.
Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
The latest on Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
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