A suspected Michigan school shooter aged 15 who is charged with killing four is set to receive a laptop and internet access to continue his education online.
Ethan Crumbley will receive the device and internet access to take online college courses offered by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic after he turns 16 next month.
He missed the deadline to enroll in a high school course after being incarcerated in the wake of the November 2021 shooting at Oxford High School.
The matter was discussed in court on Thursday, when Crumbley appeared before a judge via Zoom from Oakland County Jail in Michigan pursuant to the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, a law that requires his placement in an adult facility to be reviewed every 30 days.
For now, he will remain there to await trial for four counts of first-degree premeditated murder, seven counts of assault terrorism and 12 weapons offenses for the November 30 attack that left Hana St. Juliana, 14, Tate Myre, 16, Madisyn Baldwin, 17 and Justin Shilling, 17, dead.
Crumbley only spoke briefly to indicate to Judge Kwame Rowe that he was comfortable carrying out the hearing via Zoom. His court-appointed legal guardian Deborah McKelvy instead spoke on his behalf.
Crumbley’s parents James and Jennifer Crumbley lost custody, and are jailed in the same facility on involuntary manslaughter charges for gifting their son the deadly weapon he used to kill as a Christmas present.
They are also are accused of failing to intervene when he showed signs of mental distress at home and at school.
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Ethan Crumbley, 15, appeared before a judge from Oakland County Jail in Michigan on Thursday, speaking briefly confirm that he was comfortable carrying out the hearing via Zoom
Crumbley’s court-appointed guardian, Deborah McKelvy, brought up the matter of Crumbley’s schooling – and said it was his jailer’s responsibility, now that his parents are behind bars, too
Jennifer (left) and James Crumbley (right) are accused of making the gun Crumbley used to kill four accessible to him, and are being tried for involuntary manslaughter
The three have little to no contact with one another after the parents were ordered to stop communicating with one another in court.
She argued that prosecutors misstated the law regarding Crumbley’s education when they asserted that his parents, although they are behind bars themselves, were responsible for ensuring the teen’s continued access to education.
Crumbley, pictured, could have access to a laptop to take these courses – it is unclear what sort of supervision he would have
Now, she said, that responsibility falls on the state.
‘The child’s parent, guardian or other person in this state having control and charge of the child’ must provide for his education, she said – and as of now, ‘[that] has been Oakland County Jail.’
‘Even at our last hearing, there was testimony that everybody believed that it’s the parents’ responsibility and it’s no longer the parents’ responsibility,’ she added.
McKelvy said she’d received an ‘extensive email’ of Crumbley’s potential online course offerings on Tuesday that ‘will either give him a high school equivalency diploma or GED,’ and that she had spoken to Crumbley about the prospect upon visiting him in jail.
‘He is thinking about what path he wants to proceed with,’ McKelvy said.
‘Miss George indicated that she has talked with Captain Vita about being able to provide him [with] his own laptop.’
Because classes have already begun, Crumbley can’t enter a certain high school equivalency program until September of this year. In the meantime, she said, he could take courses offered by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, which he can enroll in once he turns 16.
Crumbley may even have access to college-level courses, she said.
The decision, McKelvy told the judge, must be made before the teen’s 16th birthday at the end of April.
McKelvy said the jail indicated Crumbley could have access to a laptop to take these courses – it is unclear what sort of supervision he would have.
Both Judge Kwame Rowe (pictured and one of the prosecutors on the Zoom call said they were pleased that progress was being made as to Crumbley’s educational prospects
Crumbley, 15, has been detained at the Oakland County Jail, an adult prison facility, since he was arrested on November 30
Both Judge Rowe and one of the prosecutors on the Zoom call said they were pleased that progress was being made as to Crumbley’s educational prospects.
Previously, prosecutors argued heavily against Crumbley’s placement in a juvenile facility – but at this hearing, prosecutors referred to written briefs on the matter, and Rowe said he saw no reason for Crumbley to be transferred.
Paulette Loftin, one of Crumbley’s defense attorneys, said at the circuit court session that the teen’s mental health evaluation will be available in 45 days. She and co-counsel Amy Hopp filed intent to mount an insanity defense for Crumbley.
On the same day, another judge refused school officials’ requests to freeze a civil lawsuit for $100 million that alleges Oxford staff members were negligent and failed to prevent Crumbley’s shooting rampage.
Officials had asked Judge Mark Goldsmith to halt the lawsuit pending the outcome of criminal proceedings against Crumbley and his parents – however, Goldsmith said she was not aware of any risk that the civil suit would interfere with the criminal cases.
Among those who died in the shooting were Justin Shilling, left, who succumbed to his wounds at a local hospital, and Tate Myre, who died at the school while trying to protect others
Madisyn Baldwin, 17, (left) and Hana St Juliana, 14, (right) also died in the shooting rampage at Oxford High School in suburban Detroit
The suit against the school was filed on December 9 on behalf of Riley, 17, and Bella, 14, Franz, sisters who survived the shooting at Oxford High, according to The Detroit News.
Their attorney, Geoffrey Fieger, alleges that Riley was shot in the neck while Bella was by her side as they exited a restroom during the rampage.
Crumbley is scheduled to return to court on April 21 for a combined pretrial hearing and 30-day status check – he will likely appear over Zoom again.
In the meantime, Crumbley will stay in at the county jail – where prosecutors heard at his last hearing that he allegedly boasts about prison life, in marked contrast to claims being incarcerated had driven the teen killer to the verge of suicide.
Previously, prosecutors successfully argued that, due to the severity of his accused crimes, the alleged killer does not belong in a juvenile facility, where he would be able to intermingle with other youths in an education-like setting – similar to the conditions under which he allegedly carried out the shooting at Oxford High School.
Prosecutors argued Crumbley would be a ‘menace’ to the other juveniles at the Children’s Village, pointing to a text between Crumbley and one of his friends in which he ‘outlined a plan to stalk, rape, torture and ultimately kill a female classmate.
‘He expressed delight in torturing a family of baby birds, and he wrote about the joy he received in listening to them squeal as he killed them,’ assistant prosecutor Marc Keast said.
Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Kwame L. Rowe felt that Crumbley’s current living situation – in solitary confinement at the adult prison, where he gets mail and has access to television – was appropriate for at least another month.
Crumbley is accused of opening fire on November 30 at Oxford High School in Oxford, Michigan, and killing four people while injuring seven others
Parents were pictured walking home with their children following the shooting
Rowe explained in a previous 12-page decision that Crumbley has been receiving letters from supporters all over the world since his arrest, including one on January 16 when Crumbley said ‘I got a cell to myself, three meals a day, a TV to watch and the guards are pretty nice,’ according to the Detroit Free Press.
In another letter, Crumbley reportedly tells a supporter that their mail ‘brightens’ his day, and that the ‘photos of New York are what he imagined.
‘There is nothing in the email exchanges that causes this court concern regarding Ethan’s current mental health,’ Rowe wrote. ‘He is eating, reading books, playing video games and talking to others.’
‘He spoke of his admiration of Adolf Hitler and Jeffrey Dahmer specifically stating: “When you die you need to be remembered for a long time, doing something that will make people think of you until the time ends.”‘
‘To place this defendant with other at-risk juveniles who are presumably the same age as his victim would be contradictory to the rehabilitation of those at Children’s Village and pose a potential risk of harm to their safety,’ he argued.
Inmate caseworker Christine Belling also testified that she visited Crumbley for five to 10 minutes a day to assess his mental health concerns, and found none.
She said she continues to see Crumbley twice a week, brought him Harry Potter books to read, and makes sure he has access to a psychiatrist, according to the Detroit News.
Michigan school shooter, 15, asked about ‘fan mail’ in jail and has been getting donations and emails from female well-wishers
Prosecutors said that months before the shooting, Ethan texted a friend, saying his parents ignored his pleas for help
Michigan school shooter Ethan Crumbely has been asking about ‘fan mail’ in jail and benefiting from the generosity of supporters who have been depositing excessive amounts money onto his commissary account.
The 15-year-old is charged as an adult with first-degree murder, assault with intent to murder, terrorism and gun charges in the November 30 shooting at Oxford High School that killed four and injured seven others.
At a hearing on Tuesday to determine whether Ethan should remain in the adult county jail, or be transferred to a juvenile facility, prosecutors said that he wrote in his journal about wanting to rape and kill a female classmate, and made other disturbing comments.
‘He expressed delight in torturing a family of baby birds and he wrote about the joy he received in listening to them squeal as he killed them,’ Oakland County Assistant Prosecutor Markeisha D. Washington said. ‘He spoke of his admiration for Adolf Hitler and Jeffrey Dahmer, specifically stating ´when you die, you need to be remembered for a long time, doing something that would make people think of you until time ends.'”
Last month, Crumbley’s attorneys filed a notice of an insanity defense.
Crumbley has been held at the county jail since December. Currently, he is lodged alone in a cell in the jail’s clinic to keep him from seeing and hearing adult inmates. Defense attorneys have been urging for Crumbley to be moved to Children’s Village.
Defense attorney Paulette Loftin said her client is ‘completely isolated’ at the adult jail. ‘And for someone who has mental health issues, isolation is horrific.’
Loftin conceded that Crumbley has access to a tablet, on which he has been receiving emails from mostly female well-wishers.
‘These are individuals, mostly women, who have taken it upon themselves to message him and give him well wishes and message him extremely frequently,’ she told the court.
Oakland County Sheriff Captain Thomas Bida testified that since entering the jail in December, Crumbley’s commissary account has become flush with cash from donors.
Bida said that, compared to other inmates, the amount of money on Crumbley’s account is ‘pretty excessive.’
Assistant Prosecutor Kelly Collins said Crumbley ‘wants to be remembered’ and while in jail asked how he would get ‘fan mail’ and ‘hate mail.’
‘He wants that notoriety,” Collins said.
Judge Kwame Rowe said Tuesday that he could have a written ruling by early next week on whether Crumbley will remain in the jail or be transferred to Children’s Village.
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