While the Oxford High School shooter was pleading guilty to all 24 charges Monday morning, prosecutors asked him to make some admissions involving his parents.
Ethan Crumbley, 16, voluntarily pleaded guilty to every charge against him, and in doing so, he was asked to respond to certain aspects of the case that led to manslaughter charges against his parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley.
Oakland County assistant Prosecutor Marc Keast read off each charge against him, and he responded “yes” in admittance to each one.
Here were the final few items on Keast’s list.
“Is it true that Nov. 30, 2021, that all crimes were carried out while you possessed and used that 9 mm handgun?” Keast asked.
“Yes,” he replied.
“Is it true that the firearm that you used on Nov. 30 was purchased on Nov. 26, 2021, by your father, James Crumbley?” Keast asked.
“Yes,” he replied.
“Is it true that you asked him to buy that firearm?” Keast asked.
“Yes,” he replied.
“Is it true that you gave him your own money to buy that firearm?” Keast asked.
“Yes,” he replied.
“Is it true that you picked that gun out to buy?” Keast asked.
“Yes,” he replied.
“Is it true that on Nov. 30, 2021, that 9 mm handgun that you used at Oxford High School was not kept in a safe or locked container?” Keast asked.
“Sorry, repeat that,” he replied.
“Is it true on Nov. 30, 2021, when you obtained the firearm, it was not kept in a locked container or a safe?” Keast asked.
“Yes, it was not locked,” he replied.
“The people are satisfied,” Keast said.
Less than two hours after the guilty plea, Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald took questions about the case. She was asked about how the admissions during that guilty plea could affect the parents’ case.
“The shooter said in court today that his parents bought the weapon and that it was in an unlocked container,” she was asked. “Is that going to be used in the case against the parents?”
“I can’t comment on the case against the parents, as you know,” McDonald said. “I can state that he did say in his own words that his father bought the gun with his money that he gave to his father and that it was not locked. And those facts are very important for his case. We’ve charged him, and he’s been convicted of terrorism, and it goes to his state of mind and his preparation and premeditation. So that is why that was part of his plea.”
