In a groundbreaking decision, the Michigan Supreme Court has ruled that James and Jennifer Crumbley, the parents of the Oxford High School shooter Ethan Crumbley, will stand trial for involuntary manslaughter. This ruling comes after the couple's appeal challenging a lower court's decision was denied by the Supreme Court. The judges stated that they were "not persuaded that the question presented should be reviewed by this Court."

The evidence against the Crumbleys includes text messages that reveal their apparent disregard for their son's pleas for help in the year leading up to the shooting. Additionally, Jennifer Crumbley had made a chilling Facebook post prior to the incident, stating that she and her husband had bought a gun as a Christmas present for Ethan. On the day of the shooting, both parents had met with the school counselor after Ethan was caught with violent drawings in class. Prosecutors claim that when the counselor recommended taking Ethan home, the parents "flatly refused." Tragically, hours later, Ethan retrieved the gun his parents had allegedly purchased for him and opened fire at the school, killing four students and injuring several others.

The Michigan Court of Appeals, in a March filing, outlined its reasoning for allowing a trial against the Crumbley parents. According to the filing, despite being aware of their son's mental health issues and access to a gun similar to the one depicted in his drawings, the parents failed to take appropriate action. They did not remove Ethan from school or seek immediate medical help, nor did they inform school officials about his history of mental health problems or his access to a firearm. The filing also stated that the parents did not ask Ethan if he had the gun with him or check his backpack before leaving him at school. Instead, they simply left and did not return home to ensure that he had not taken the weapon.

Attorneys for the Crumbley parents argue that they could not have predicted their son's plan to commit a mass shooting. They contend that they should not be held accountable for their son's actions. However, prosecutors assert that the parents exhibited gross negligence by failing to secure the weapon and by disregarding their son's cries for help.

If the Crumbley parents do go to trial, it will be an unprecedented case. It will test whether parents can be held responsible for their child's actions in school shootings. Following the shooting, the couple fled their hometown of Oxford, and an alert was issued for their arrests. They turned themselves in several days later, claiming they had fled for their own safety.

Ethan Crumbley, who pleaded guilty to charges including terrorism causing death and first-degree murder, faces the possibility of life in prison without parole. The trial for James and Jennifer Crumbley will shed light on the extent to which parents can be held accountable for the actions of their children in cases of school shootings.