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Full updates: Day 1 of trial for father of Oxford High School shooter (March 7)

James Crumbley faces 4 counts of involuntary manslaughter

James Crumbley, the father of the Oxford High School shooter, at the first day of his involuntary manslaughter trial on March 7, 2024. (WDIV)

OXFORD, Mich. – The involuntary manslaughter trial began Thursday for James Crumbley, the father of the Oxford High School shooter.

After opening statements, the prosecution called two witnesses to the stand. Proceedings ended before the defense’s cross examination of the second witness.

Here are some key details about the case:

  • James Crumbley is represented by defense attorney Mariell Lehman. Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald and assistant Oakland County Prosecutor Marc Keast lead the prosecution. Judge Cheryl A. Matthews presides over the case.
  • Crumbley is charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter -- one for each of the students who were killed by his son during the Nov. 30, 2021, shooting at Oxford High School: 14-year-old Hana St. Juliana, 16-year-old Tate Myre, 17-year-old Madisyn Baldwin, and 17-year-old Justin Shilling.
  • His wife was found guilty of all four counts on Feb. 6, 2024, after a nine-day trial that included seven days of witness testimony and two days of jury deliberation.
  • The shooter was sentenced in December to life in prison without the chance of parole.

Here are the full updates from Day 1 of the trial:

Proceedings officially end for day

  • 4 p.m. Thursday

Matthews left the courtroom, and proceedings have ended for the day.

2 sides reach resolution

  • 3:59 p.m. Thursday

Williams said the two sides have reached a resolution.

“The agreement is going to be that Mr. Crumbley’s communications will be revoked, but not his ability to do research or otherwise participate in his own defense,” Williams said. “So not just communicating with counsel, but his ability to read or get other information, simply communication.”

That is a stipulated order between Williams and Lehman. It will expire upon a verdict.

If there is a hung jury, it will be addressed at that time.

Discussions in courtroom

  • 3:57 p.m. Thursday

James Crumbley and Lehman spoke for a few minutes, and then Lehman stood and asked to talk to Williams.

Lehman and Williams left the courtroom, followed by Keast.

James Crumbley, Judge Matthews, and the rest of the courtroom are still seated.

Williams wants to make motion

  • 3:55 p.m. Thursday

If James Crumbley won’t agree, Williams said he wants to formally make a motion. Matthews would then have to rule on that motion.

Williams said it’s only for “seven or eight days.”

James Crumbley doesn’t agree to order

  • 3:53 p.m. Thursday

Lehman spoke to James Crumbley, who told her he would not agree to the order.

“My client is not willing to agree to the order,” Lehman said. “It’s basically restricting his ability to speak to people, judge.”

Williams said if the order gets entered, they’re asking the communications only be limited to counsel and legitimate clergy.

“He can talk to his attorney and he can talk to legitimate clergy (during the course of the trial),” Williams said.

David Williams makes motion

  • 3:42 p.m. Thursday

David Williams stood and said he was going to make a motion.

Lehman said she objects to the way this is being handled, specifically that it was being discussed in front of the media.

The topic of this matter isn’t immediately clear. Williams said he wants it on the record.

Matthews said she’s “reluctant to impact the rights of the parties during the jury trial.”

Jury leaves for Thursday

  • 3:42 p.m. Thursday

The jury left for the day before Lehman began her cross examination of Wagrowski.

Matthews asked the jurors to return at 9 a.m. Friday.

Both sides approach judge

  • 3:40 p.m. Thursday

Lehman asked to approach, and both sides went up to speak to Matthews.

Meanwhile, James Crumbley looked over some documents on the defense table.

Keast completes questioning of Wagrowski

  • 3:39 p.m. Thursday

Keast completed his questioning of Wagrowski.

Researching mental health experts

  • 3:37 p.m. Thursday

Wagrowski said there’s no indication that James Crumbley contacted any doctors or mental health experts between the meeting at the school and the shooting.

Texts to Brian Meloche

  • 3:36 p.m. Thursday

Keast showed messages from Jennifer Crumbley to Brian Meloche on Dec. 2, 2021. We learned during her trial that Meloche and Jennifer Crumbley were having an extramarital affair.

In a Facebook message, Jennifer Crumbley said, “We’re on the run.” She later sent one that said, “We’re f-----.”

Alarms

  • 3:35 p.m. Thursday

Keast then showed evidence of the alarms that were set on Jennifer Crumbley’s phone for the morning of Dec. 4, 2021. They were set for 6:30 a.m. and 6:45 a.m.

This will come into play later when prosecutors raise the element of fleeing.

Meeting at substation

  • 3:33 p.m. Thursday

The parents then went to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office substation in Oxford at 1:58 p.m. His wife arrived one minute later.

They both arrived back at home by 2:30 p.m.

James Crumbley calls 911

  • 3:31 p.m. Thursday

James Crumbley called his wife and then called 911 at 1:34 p.m. This was before the identity of the shooter was publicized.

He said he was at his house. He said there’s an active shooter at the high school and there’s a missing gun at his house. He mentioned the drawing on his math homework earlier that morning.

The 911 call was played for the jury.

‘The gun is gone’

  • 3:29 p.m. Thursday

Prosecutors showed a text exchange between Jennifer Crumbley and her boss.

“The gun is gone and so are the bullets,” Jennifer Crumbley texted her boss.

“I’m praying everything is OK,” her boss replied.

“Omg Andy he’s going to kill himself he must be the shooter,” Jennifer Crumbley said.

Prosecutors were establishing that these text messages show James Crumbley rushed home and checked for the guns after learning that there was an active shooter at the school.

James Crumbley stops home

  • 3:28 p.m. Thursday

Location data showed James Crumbley at his house at 1:20 p.m.

At this time, Jennifer Crumbley was leaving her office.

Timeline around shooting

  • 3:27 p.m. Thursday

His fourth order lasted from 12:33 p.m. to 1:01 p.m.

Wagrowski previously testified that the shooting took place from 12:51 p.m. to 1 p.m. The email about the school shooting was sent to parents at 1:09 p.m.

James Crumbley was going to the Meijer when he received the email about the shooting. He called the shooter at 1:13 p.m.

He tried to call the shooter again at 1:17 p.m. Neither phone call was answered.

James Crumbley left the Meijer parking lot at 1:17 p.m. Nov. 30, 2021, after receiving the email and calling his son twice. He also called Jennifer Crumbley and talked to her for 57 seconds. They talked at 1:19 p.m.

Jennifer Crumbley left her office at 1:18 p.m.

James Crumbley after meeting

  • 3:20 p.m. Thursday

James Crumbley didn’t stop by his house after that meeting, Wagrowski said. He went to the Meijer near the school and sat there for awhile before starting DoorDash deliveries.

He logged into the DoorDash app at 11 a.m. That was the first time he had logged on that day.

He had four different orders before the shooting. Prosecutors showed maps of where those pickup and drop-off locations were, often in relation to the Crumbley house.

Wagrowski said James Crumbley never stopped at his house during these deliveries.

His fourth order lasted from 12:33 p.m. to 1:01 p.m.

Wagrowski previously testified that the shooting took place from 12:51 p.m. to 1 p.m. The email about the school shooting was sent to parents at 1:09 p.m.

Maps depicting the DoorDash delivery routes James Crumbley took on on Nov. 30, 2021. The maps were brought up in court at his involuntary manslaughter trial on March 7, 2024. (WDIV)
Maps depicting the DoorDash delivery routes James Crumbley took on on Nov. 30, 2021. The maps were brought up in court at his involuntary manslaughter trial on March 7, 2024. (WDIV)
Maps depicting the DoorDash delivery routes James Crumbley took on on Nov. 30, 2021. The maps were brought up in court at his involuntary manslaughter trial on March 7, 2024. (WDIV)
Maps depicting the DoorDash delivery routes James Crumbley took on on Nov. 30, 2021. The maps were brought up in court at his involuntary manslaughter trial on March 7, 2024. (WDIV)

Video shows meeting length

  • 3:18 p.m. Thursday

At 10:39 a.m. Nov. 30, 2021, surveillance footage shows the Crumbley parents inside Oxford High School.

They were greeted by a school counselor before walking into an office where they had a meeting about the math worksheet.

Video showed the shooter leaving the counselor’s office at 10:52 a.m.

The parents walked out of the room at 10:53 a.m. They exited the building at 10:54 a.m.

Wagrowski’s testimony continues

  • 3:17 p.m. Thursday

The jury came back into the courtroom and Keast continued his questioning of Wagrowski.

Court back in session

  • 3:15 p.m. Thursday

Judge Matthews returned and court is back in session.

James Crumbley returns

  • 3:13 p.m. Thursday

James Crumbley is back in the courtroom, at the defense table with Lehman.

What Wagrowski said about meeting last time

  • 3:11 p.m. Thursday

During his testimony in the Jennifer Crumbley trial, Wagrowski said that the parents walked into the office at 10:41 a.m. He said the shooter left the room at 10:52 a.m., and the parents left the school building at 10:54 a.m.

Wagrowski isn’t going to testify about what happened in the meeting because there isn’t surveillance footage in that room. He is helping the prosecution establish the logistics surrounding the meeting.

For Jennifer Crumbley, the next thing Keast asked about were texts she sent about her horse-riding lesson that night.

Where testimony left off

  • 3:03 p.m. Thursday

When Keast suggested a break, the jury was watching surveillance footage inside Oxford High School that showed the Crumbley parents walking into the office for a meeting.

This meeting will be highlighted later by school officials who claim they wanted the Crumbleys to take the shooter out of the building from that meeting.

Jennifer (left) and James (right) Crumbley walking into Oxford High School the morning of the shooting to meet with a counselor about their son. (WDIV)

Jury leaves, James Crumbley escorted out

  • 2:49 p.m. Thursday

The jury left the courtroom, and then James Crumbley was escorted out by deputies.

Keast: Good time for break

  • 2:48 p.m. Thursday

Keast said this might be a good time for a short break. Lehman said that’s fine.

Matthews said it would be about a 10-minute break.

Surveillance footage inside school

  • 2:46 p.m. Thursday

Surveillance footage showed the Crumbley parents walking into the building, going to the office, and being directed into a room at 10:39 a.m. Nov. 30, 2021.

Parents arrive at school for meeting

  • 2:44 p.m. Thursday

At 10:29 a.m., James Crumbley called his wife, and they spoke for about seven minutes. This was before they arrived at the school.

Wagrowski said the parents arrived at the school in separate cars. Neither parent went home before arriving at the school.

James Crumbley arrived at 10:36 a.m., and Jennifer Crumbley arrived at 10:37 a.m. They walked inside together.

More timing

  • 2:42 p.m. Thursday

At 9:36 a.m., James Crumbley was still at the barn. He left and went to the high school for the meeting.

Footage shows Jennifer Crumbley leaving work at 10:06 a.m.

‘Emergency’

  • 2:41 p.m. Thursday

Prosecutors showed Facebook messages between the parents.

“Call NOW. Emergency,” Jennifer Crumbley messaged James Crumbley. “Emergency.”

She then sent him the two pictures of the math worksheet.

“My god. WTF,” James Crumbley responded. “Vet not here yet. It’s Macklemurry for Kira’s horse. Still waiting on vet.”

“He said he was distraught about last night,” Jennifer Crumbley said.

“We talked about it this morning,” James Crumbley said. “You talked to him?”

“Can you call?” Jennifer Crumbley said.

“Heading to his school,” Jennifer Crumbley said. “I’m very concerned.”

Math worksheet drawings

  • 2:38 p.m. Thursday

At 9:24 a.m. Nov. 30, Jennifer Crumbley missed a call from the school. She called back at 9:27 a.m. and spoke to a school official for about 5-6 minutes.

The picture of the math worksheet was sent to Jennifer Crumbley at 9:31 a.m. This was the altered version, which had several pictures scribbled out.

At 9:32 a.m., the unaltered version was emailed to Jennifer Crumbley.

Morning of shooting

  • 2:36 p.m. Thursday

The shooter was dropped off at school at 7:46 a.m. Nov. 30, 2021. That was the morning of the shooting. Surveillance footage shows him getting out of his father’s SUV.

At 8:04 a.m., James Crumbley was at home, but by 9:04 a.m., he was back at the horse barn.

Video shows Jennifer Crumbley arriving at her office at 9:04 a.m. that day.

Picking shooter up from school

  • 2:35 p.m. Thursday

James Crumbley picked the shooter up from school that day.

At 2:47 p.m. Nov. 29, 2021, he said he was still waiting for his son after school. He told his wife that the shooter told him about the bullet-searching issue that happened in class.

Voicemail about searching for bullets

  • 2:34 p.m. Thursday

During this exchange between the parents, Jennifer Crumbley received a voicemail from an Oxford High School counselor.

She was telling Jennifer Crumbley that a teacher noticed the shooter researching bullets on his cellphone during class. The counselor said it’s a “perfectly normal” hobby but they wanted to have a conversation about the things he searches at home.

The counselor said the shooter was “great” during the conversation and he understood what he shouldn’t be searching at school.

Horse treatment

  • 2:32 p.m. Thursday

Prosecutors showed Facebook messages between the two parents on Nov. 29, 2021.

Jennifer Crumbley asked if James Crumbley was at the barn. He replied that he was working on Billy, their horse.

He sent a video of himself working on the horse’s feet. He asked what he should tell the vet as he left the barn. His wife sent him what to tell the veterinarian.

They talked further about the vet visit.

James Crumbley on Nov. 28

  • 2:30 p.m. Thursday

The data location for James Crumbley shows he was working as a DoorDash driver at 8:56 a.m. Nov. 28. He returned to the house, but around 1 p.m., he left again. At 5:13 p.m., he was back at the house.

Horse barn visit

  • 2:25 p.m. Thursday

At noon Nov. 28, 2021, Jennifer Crumbley was at the barn where the parents’ horse was kept, Wagrowski said. This was a Sunday two days before the shooting.

Wagrowski said the parents talked often about how much they went to the horse barn.

Horse barn visitsd within their chats 86 times with going to the barn (from January to November in 2021),” Wagrowski said.

He said the parents would go to take care of a horse or meet up at the barn.

James Crumbley saw photos

  • 2:25 p.m. Thursday

Data information from the cellphone extraction shows that James Crumbley viewed the Instagram photos, according to Wagrowski.

He was delivering for DoorDash that day, on Nov. 27, 2021, according to location data. He was back home at 5:32 p.m.

Shooting range visit

  • 2:23 p.m. Thursday

At 2:02 p.m. Nov. 27, 2021, Jennifer Crumbley posted on Instagram that she had gone to the shooting range with her son. The pictures showed used targets and the SIG Sauer.

She called the gun, “his new Christmas present.”

Picture on Jennifer Crumbley’s phone

  • 2:21 p.m. Thursday

A picture from Jennifer Crumbley’s phone showed the SIG Sauer and Kel-Tec firearms lying on a case. There are two magazines and a cable lock/key inside a baggie.

Keast likely showed this photo to establish what the cable lock looked like when it was brought home from the store.

Additional video

  • 2:19 p.m. Thursday

The family went Christmas tree shopping on the evening of Nov. 26, 2021, Wagrowski said.

After the family returned home, the shooter took an additional video at 6:39 p.m. Nov. 26, 2021. It was a video looking directly up the barrel of the SIG Sauer.

Shooter’s pictures of murder weapon

  • 2:15 p.m. Thursday

Exhibits 89 and 90 show a picture on the shooter’s phone. It was taken at the Crumbley household at 1:03 p.m. Nov. 26, 2021, and it shows the shooter’s hand holding the SIG Sauer handgun.

The shooter also posted three pictures of the gun at 1:06 p.m. Nov. 26, 2021, on Instagram and told people he would answer any questions about it.

An extraction report showed that James Crumbley followed both his son and his wife on Instagram.

Nov. 26, 2021

  • 2:13 p.m. Thursday

Keast said he wants to build a “digital footprint” for the Crumbleys from Nov. 26, 2021, to the day of the shooting, Nov. 30, 2021.

Wagroswski said the SIG Sauer 9 mm handgun was purchased at 12:08 p.m. Nov. 26, 2021. At 12:57 p.m. Nov. 26, 2021, James Crumbley’s location shows he was arriving back at his house.

After the gun was purchased, the family went Christmas tree shopping.

Screenshots on phone

  • 2:11 p.m. Thursday

Exhibits 82 and 83 show the extraction report from the shooter’s phone.

It shows that he took a screenshot of a gun. That same screenshot was later found on James Crumbley’s phone. But the picture was not found in messaging.

Keast is suggesting that the shooter sent this screenshot to his father, but James Crumbley deleted it at some point.

Shooter’s messaging in November

  • 2:05 p.m. Thursday

After the friend left the state, the shooter was never in contact with any other peers, Wagrowski said.

“He didn’t communicate with anybody, hardly ever at all,” he testified.

There was no evidence that the shooter met with anyone outside of school.

There were only 48 total text messages on the shooter’s phone from Nov. 1, 2021, to Nov. 30, Wagrowski said. Six of those were to his parents.

Most of the other texts were to a service that helped with math problems.

DoorDash driving

  • 2:01 p.m. Thursday

Wagrowski said he learned that James Crumbley had lost his job and started to work as a DoorDash driver.

When James Crumbley was a DoorDash driver, he had to install a certain app on his phone. That was installed on Nov. 9, 2021.

Fathers exchange texts

  • 1:58 p.m. Thursday

Prosecutors showed a text from James Crumbley’s phone to the father of the shooter’s friend on Oct. 30, 2021.

James Crumbley was reaching out to make sure everything was OK with the other family. He said the shooter was trying to get ahold of his friend, but he wasn’t hearing back.

The other father responded and said the friend was in a bad place with OCD and unable to go to school. He told James Crumbley the friend would be gone for 60-90 days to get treatment in Wisconsin.

James Crumbley said the other father should let them know if there’s any way they can help.

Text messages between James Crumbley and the father of his son's friend in 2021. Crumbley is on trial in March 2024 for involuntary manslaughter in connection with the 2021 Oxford High School shooting. (WDIV)
Text messages between James Crumbley and the father of his son's friend in 2021. Crumbley is on trial in March 2024 for involuntary manslaughter in connection with the 2021 Oxford High School shooting. (WDIV)
Text messages between James Crumbley and the father of his son's friend in 2021. Crumbley is on trial in March 2024 for involuntary manslaughter in connection with the 2021 Oxford High School shooting. (WDIV)

‘My dad left it out’

  • 1:58 p.m. Thursday

Right after the second video, the shooter told his friend, “My dad left it out, so I thought, ‘Why not?’ lol.”

This was following the Aug. 20, 2021, video.

Parents were in home

  • 1:57 p.m. Thursday

Wagrowski said the shooter’s parents were inside the home at the time when the shooter send both of those videos to his friend.

This is based on GPS data from Google that showed phones belonging to James Crumbley and his wife were both at their address.

Another video from shooter

  • 1:55 p.m. Thursday

On Aug. 20, 2021, the shooter sent a video to his friend that showed the shooter with the handgun that had a round in the chamber.

Video of shooter with gun

  • 1:55 p.m. Thursday

On Aug. 19, 2021, the shooter sent a video to his friend that showed the shooter holding a handgun.

Texts to shooter’s friend

  • 1:53 p.m. Thursday

Prosecutors showed some texts from the shooter to his friend in April 2021.

“Like I hear people talking to me and see someone in the distance,” the shooter said to his friend.

He told his friend he had asked his dad to take him to the doctor, but he said his dad gave him some pills and “told him to suck it up.” He said his mom laughed when he told her.

Later, the shooter told his friend he was having bad insomnia and paranoia. He said he was thinking of calling 911 so he could go to the hospital, “But then my parents would be really pissed.”

Text messages with friend

  • 1:49 p.m. Thursday

Wagrowski said it stood out to him that the shooter had exchanged more than 20,000 text messages with a specific friend from January 2021 to March 2021.

The scope of that conversation was very significant, Wagrowski said.

Facebook messages

  • 1:45 p.m. Thursday

Prosecutors showed Facebook messages from March 8, 2021, between the Crumbley parents.

“(The shooter’s name) going to bowling?” Jennifer Crumbley asked.

“IDK (I don’t know),” James Crumbley responded.

“What do you mean IDK?” Jennifer Crumbley said.

“I don’t know, exactly said I said. Will know after he gets home,” James Crumbley said.

“Does he have his phone?” Jennifer Crumbley asked. “Why isn’t he home yet? He should be home by now.”

“Freaking out,” Jennifer Crumbley said.

“He does not get home til 3:15,” James Crumbley said.

“I told you to pick him up because he’s upset and I don’t want him to do anything stupid g-------,” Jennifer Crumbley said.

“Dude chill,” James Crumbley said. “He is find and I am trying to f------ work.”

Shooting timeframe

  • 1:41 p.m. Thursday

Wagrowski said the shooter was taken into custody at 1 p.m. Nov. 30, 2021, which means the shooting lasted about nine minutes.

Shooter taken into custody

  • 1:41 p.m. Thursday

The shooter eventually left the bathroom and looked around.

The first responding deputies were coming down the hallway, and as they came toward him, the shooter put his hands up and went to his knees.

The shooter went down on his stomach and was taken into custody, Wagrowski said.

‘Running for his life’

  • 1:40 p.m. Thursday

Before the shooter exited the bathroom, another student entered the bathroom.

“I’ve never seen somebody actually run for his life,” Wagrowski said. “And that kid was running for his life.”

Shooting continues

  • 1:39 p.m. Thursday

Wagrowski said the shooter continued down the hallway, “Hunting for more victims.”

Then he turned around and stopped at a classroom. Because of the angle, you can’t see into the room from one direction, but when he turned around, he could see students inside, Wagrowski said. He fired shots into the room at those students.

He passed Gibson-Marshall, the assistant principal, who spoke to him, and he turned his head “in shame,” Wagrowski said, and kept walking down the hallway to the bathroom.

That’s where he shot and killed Justin Shilling.

Tate Myre killed

  • 1:37 p.m. Thursday

Wagrowski said the shooter rounded the corner and just started shooting. Several students ran away. Teachers were pulling students into rooms, he said.

One girl tried to pull a door open, but the people inside had already locked it. Another girl grabbed her and the tore off down the hallway as the shooter fired at them, Wagrowski said.

He turned at the corner of the 400 hallway, and another camera angle showed that’s when the shooter killed Tate Myre.

“The shooter leveled the gun, and just as Tate turned the corner, the shooter fired a round, and Tate fell instantly,” Wagrowski said. “The shooter took a couple steps and then leveled the gun again, just to shoot Tate again, lying there. You see Tate’s body flinch.”

Murders near bathroom

  • 1:33 p.m. Thursday

In the video, Wagrowski said he saw the shooter come out of the bathroom at 12:51 p.m. Nov. 30, 2021.

“I’ll never forget, he came out of that bathroom like (with) a proud chest,” Wagrowski said.

He described the shooter firing the gun at students near the bathroom.

Then, to the shooter’s right was Hana St. Juliana and some other students.

“He started shooting at them, and then fell on top of each other,” Wagrowski said.

In the distance, an angle shows Madisyn Baldwin crouching down into the fetal position. He fired down the hallway before approaching her, Wagrowski said.

“The shooter ran right up to her and he put the gun right on her head,” Wagrowski said. “She just fell over.”

Putting together video

  • 1:31 p.m. Thursday

Wagrowski synced together the video footage for investigators. He took clips as the shooter moved into the view of different cameras.

He debunked rumors that the shooter had tried to open doors in the hallway and pretended to be a police officer.

Wagrowski said he’s watched “too many” hours of this footage. He’s watched every angle from every camera, he said.

Wagrowski finds shooter footage

  • 1:30 p.m. Thursday

Wagrowski said he assumed the higher-ups would want to know where the shooting started. He knew it was in the 200 hallway, so that’s where he searched.

He rewinded until they found the footage of someone going into the bathroom with dark clothing -- the clothing the shooter was wearing.

They said they eventually found the shooter on the video.

Wagrowski testimony resumes

  • 1:30 p.m. Thursday

Keast resumes his questioning of Wagrowski about the video footage at Oxford High School.

Jury returns

  • 1:29 p.m. Thursday

The jury returned to the courtroom

Judge rules on exhibits

  • 1:27 p.m. Thursday

Before calling in the jury, Matthews issued rulings on a few pieces of evidence.

Exhibit 153 does not quality under the hearsay exception.

Part of exhibit 133, a text exchange between Jennifer Crumbley and someone else, has been excluded, unless it becomes necessary to impeach some other evidence that’s admitted.

Matthews did admit text messages from exhibit 133 that include Jennifer Crumbley saying that James Crumbley had gone to the house after they learned about the shooting. In those texts, she said the gun and bullets were gone and expressed concern that the shooter was going to kill himself.

Court back in session

  • 1:24 p.m. Thursday

Judge Matthews is back and court is back in session.

James Crumbley returns

  • 1:20 p.m. Thursday

James Crumbley has returned to the courtroom and joined Lehman at the defense table.

What to expect after lunch break

  • 1:08 p.m. Thursday

If Wagrowski’s testimony follows a similar path as when he took the stand during the Jennifer Crumbley trial, he will tell the jury about what he saw on the school surveillance footage.

He walked the previous jury through the path the shooter took inside Oxford High School and talked about how that footage was burned into his memory.

Wagrowski will also likely be asked to go through text and/or social media messages involving James Crumbley.

Emotional testimony

  • 12:56 p.m. Thursday

It’s difficult for many of the prosecution’s witnesses to speak about the day of the shooting, especially those who were at the school or went there immediately afterward.

Darnell has had to testify three times about the moment she locked eyes with the shooter and was shot -- in the trials for the shooter, his mother, and now his father.

Wagrowski got emotional as soon as Keast mentioned Nov. 30, 2021. It was difficult for him to describe the trip to Oxford and the students he saw at Meijer.

Witnesses order changes

  • 12:42 p.m. Thursday

The prosecution has already strayed from the order in which they called witnesses in the Jennifer Crumbley trial. Whether that is intentional or simply because of witness availability is not clear.

They started with Darnell in both trials, but Wagrowski was the fifth witness called during Jennifer Crumbley’s trial, after Gibson-Marshall, gun store worker Cammy Back, and Brandon.

Brandon is in the courtroom Thursday. It’s not confirmed whether he, Gibson-Marshall, or Back will testify against James Crumbley.

Edward Wagrowski testimony

  • 12:29 p.m. Thursday

Wagrowski was the witness whose testimony took the longest during the Jennifer Crumbley trial, not counting Jennifer Crumbley herself.

He was called as the fifth witness by the prosecution, and his testimony took the entire second day of that trial.

Click here if you want to revisit what he said during his testimony in that previous trial.

James Crumbley escorted out

  • 12:15 p.m. Thursday

James Crumbley was escorted from the courtroom by deputies.

James Crumbley, the father of the Oxford High School shooter, at Day 1 of his involuntary manslaughter trial on March 7, 2024. (WDIV)

Jury exits

  • 12:14 p.m. Thursday

The jurors exited the courtroom to take their lunch break.

They were instructed not to discuss the case with anyone, including each other.

Lunch break

  • 12:13 p.m. Thursday

Keast said this might be a good time for a natural break.

Matthews agreed and dismissed the jury for lunch.

She told them the break would last until 1:15 p.m.

Searching for footage

  • 12:12 p.m. Thursday

Wagrowski accessed a server to view the surveillance footage inside the school. They went to the hallway where the shooting began and tried to figure out what time the shooter went there.

He said there are at least 100 cameras in the school.

Security office

  • 12:11 p.m. Thursday

Wagrowski was directed to the security office. That’s where he saw the security officer, a deputy, ATF Special Agent Brett Brandon, and Detective Lt. Sam Marzban.

He wasn’t given any direction, but he just needed to figure out how and where the shooting started. So he began reviewing video footage.

At this time, the high school was still being cleared. Police were making sure there weren’t any other attackers or any explosives.

Heading to school

  • 12:09 p.m. Thursday

After he helped with the names and notebooks, Wagrowski went to the school because a detective called him and said they were trying to get the surveillance video.

Wagrowski was better versed in that side of the job, so he went to help.

He went to the north side of the school, closest to the main office.

Scene at Meijer

  • 12:08 p.m. Thursday

Parents were by the gardening center, and that’s where the crowd was headed, too.

People were told to write down their names in notebooks. He began walking around to get information from people.

Someone yelled to get everyone inside, so he ushered people inside. He said he didn’t want to grab them or force them to go in.

“I remember seeing parents just standing there as these school buses start arriving,” Wagrowski said. “I just see the parents, like, you see them just almost praying that their kid came off the bus.”

Arriving at Meijer

  • 12:04 p.m. Thursday

He became the lead car at some point, so he blocked a later intersection. He counted 16 emergency vehicles that went through as he blocked the intersection.

“The whole way there, all I could hear on the radio was, ‘Staging area on Ray Road, Meijer,’” Wagrowski said. That stuck in his head.

When he saw a Meijer, he pulled in. He said he saw a student without a shoe walking through a snow bank.

“That was tough,” Wagrowski said. “That was really tough.”

He saw girls dressed just like his 17-year-old daughter would be walking in the cold weather.

“It’s hard to describe,” Wagrowski said. “They looked like zombies. They had no facial expression, nothing.”

Heading to school

  • 12:02 p.m. Thursday

He pulled out of the parking lot in his white minivan, with sirens and lights on. He said he saw two patrol cars from a different agency turn the corner “on two wheels” because they were going so fast.

He realized, “Holy cow this is real.”

He hadn’t been to Oxford, other than driving through. He thought he would just follow the crowd.

As he went north on 24, approaching a red light, he realized police had shut down cross traffic so authorities could get toward Oxford.

Day of shooting

  • 12:01 p.m. Thursday

Wagrowski was asked about Nov. 30, 2021. He said he was working for the sheriff’s office that day in computer crimes.

He got news from his captain that there was a shooting at Oxford High School. The captain said, “All hands on deck.”

He isn’t someone who would typically respond to a shooting situation.

“For the captain to come to the computer crimes office ... it’s not their job to deal with that,” Wagrowski said. “The fact that he did that was a pretty big deal.”

James Crumbley’s accounts

  • 11:59 a.m. Thursday

For James Crumbley, Wagrowski confirmed that officials seized three phones, including two T-Mobile phones with the same number and one burner phone.

They also looked at his Instagram account, a Facebook account, a Yahoo email account, a Gmail account, a Charter Communications account, and a DoorDash search warrant return.

Phones, accounts investigated

  • 11:57 a.m. Thursday

Wagrowski said he and members of his team reviewed cellphones that were seized during the Oxford High School shooting investigation. They also reviewed social media information.

He confirmed he looked at phone and social media data for the shooter and both parents.

Android vs. iPhone

  • 11:54 a.m. Thursday

He said on Android phones, it’s a little easier to get the data off of the phones than it is with iPhones.

The two operate differently in terms of filing and storing data.

Gathering information

  • 11:52 a.m. Thursday

Wagrowski said he often looks for information from cell carriers, social media companies, and other places.

He said a cellphone is doing things while it’s not being actively used, such as interacting with cell towers.

“There’s a lot going on in the background,” Wagrowski said.

If a phone is powered out, it can’t do anything.

Wagrowski’s expertise

  • 11:50 a.m. Thursday

Wagrowski is an expert in cellphone forensics, computer forensics, and call detail record analysis.

He has been certified as an expert in computer crimes 14 times.

The court established that Wagrowski is an expert in historical cellphone analysis, cell site analysis, and cellphone forensic analysis.

Witness: Edward Wagrowski

  • 11:45 a.m. Thursday

The prosecution called Edward Wagrowski to the stand.

He currently works for the U.S. Secret Service, but at the time of the Oxford High School shooting, he was a computer crimes expert for the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.

He spent 28 years with the sheriff’s department, including 10 years in computer crimes.

James Crumbley returns

  • 11:43 a.m. Thursday

James Crumbley has returned to the courtroom.

He took his seat at the defense table, put his tie back on, and spoke briefly to Lehman.

🎥 Opening statements

  • 11:32 a.m. Thursday

🎥 If you would like to watch the opening statements from Keast and Lehman, click on the videos below.

Darnell’s testimony

  • 11:23 a.m. Thursday

Darnell’s testimony on Thursday was very similar to when she took the stand during the Jennifer Crumbley trial.

She described locking eyes with the shooter and the sensation in her arm when she was struck by gunfire. Both times, she stood and showed the jury her scar.

Prosecutors showed the same video footage of officers escorting an injured Darnell from her office to the area outside the school building.

Then, the picture of the bullet holes in the door revealed once again that the shooter was aiming for Darnell’s head and chest.

‘Ahead of schedule’

  • 11:14 a.m. Thursday

Matthews told the jury before she excused them that they are “ahead of schedule.”

The jurors will be brought back into the courtroom after the set-up for the next witness has been completed.

James Crumbley exits

  • 11:07 a.m. Thursday

James Crumbley was escorted out of the courtroom by deputies.

When he leaves the room during breaks, he must remove his tie and be placed back in handcuffs.

Jury exits

  • 11:06 a.m. Thursday

The jury left the courtroom.

Break to set up exhibits

  • 11:05 a.m. Thursday

Before the prosecution’s next witness, the court is taking a short break to set up some exhibits.

No cross examination

  • 11:05 a.m. Thursday

Lehman had no questions for Darnell.

‘Aiming to kill me’

  • 11:03 a.m. Thursday

“He was aiming to kill me,” Darnell said.

While she was cleaning her wound at home, Darnell said she realized the shot has struck her at “heart-level.” She was struck about six inches from her heart, she said.

The bullet holes in the door show the shooter was aiming for her head and chest, Darnell said.

Bullet holes in the door of Molly Darnell's office after the shooting at Oxford High School. (WDIV)

Darnell’s injury

  • 11:02 a.m. Thursday

She said her injury was “through and through” and “clean.”

She got a chest X-ray to make sure there was no debris from the bullet. That was the first moment she cried, Darnell said.

Darnell was released later in the day. She went home with her husband that night.

Scene at hospital

  • 11:01 a.m. Thursday

Darnell was escorted out of the school by police. Surveillance video was shown in court of her being taken outside.

Officials brought Darnell to a hospital in Lapeer. She walked in, and she said the hallways were “lined with doctors and nurses.”

“They were prepared for a disaster,” Darnell said.

Police arrive

  • 10:58 a.m. Thursday

Police officers arrived at the door and asked if she was injured. She crawled out and asked if they wanted her to remove the Nightlock. They said yes.

She opened the door. Police grabbed her from under her arms and pulled her out of the classroom.

Telling fellow teacher she had been shot

  • 10:57 a.m. Thursday

Darnell said she was probably in the classroom for about 20 minutes. She eventually heard footsteps and thought the rooms nearby were being evacuated.

She texted the teacher next-door and told her she had been “hit in the arm.”

The other teacher called 911, and a teacher in the room with her called the front office.

The assistant principal came and knocked on the door. He asked if she was in there and she said yes.

She said she’s known that person since she started with the district, but she didn’t trust that it was him.

“I didn’t want to open the door,” Darnell said. “It felt safer in there.”

Remaining in lockdown

  • 10:55 a.m. Thursday

There was another announcement telling everyone to remain in lockdown.

Darnell said the teachers in that hallway have a group chat, and nobody was texting on that. In another part of the building, her language arts team said they were hearing about an active shooter. Darnell said that she had seen the shooter.

She didn’t tell anyone yet that she had been shot. She said she was probably in denial, and she wanted the focus to be on securing the building.

Darnell describes shooter

  • 10:54 a.m. Thursday

Darnell said the shooter’s feet were about hip distance apart and his shoulders were square.

“He raised that gun right up,” Darnell said. “It was probably a second from the moment I locked arms with him.”

Darnell can’t remember if the shooter used both arms or one arm, but she said he raised the gun to shoulder height.

Turning cardigan into tourniquet

  • 10:53 a.m. Thursday

At this point, Darnell said she could “feel blood rolling down my arm.”

She said she didn’t want to believe that she had been shot, but she knew that if she was bleeding, she needed to put a tourniquet on.

She couldn’t get over to the medical kit, so she used her mouth and her right arm to tighten her cardigan around her left arm.

Darnell said she wasn’t feeling any pain at this point.

Hiding from window

  • 10:52 a.m. Thursday

Darnell said she was concerned that the shooter would come back around to the back windows, so she wanted to hide.

After barricading the door, she tried to make herself “invisible in that space.”

She moved the filing cabinet just enough that she could hide behind it. If someone looked through the window, they wouldn’t be able to see her.

Realizing she had been shot

  • 10:51 a.m. Thursday

Darnell tried to barricade the door with a filing cabinet. She said she hadn’t yet realized that she had been shot. But then she couldn’t move the filing cabinet.

She said she crawled over to the door and installed the Nightlock.

She also grabbed a rolling cart and pushed it in front of the door. She said it was easy to move.

Darnell shows scar from shooting

  • 10:49 a.m. Thursday

Darnell removed her jacked and showed the jury the spot on her left shoulder/upper arm where she was shot.

“He caught me when I’m jumping, on this side,” Darnell said. “Entrance and exit wound, and the line in the middle is where the bullet cauterized my flesh.”

Bullet hole in window

  • 10:47 a.m. Thursday

She said she looked behind her and saw the bullet hole in the glass on the opposite side of the office from the door. It led out to the courtyard and she realized a BB gun couldn’t do that.

She said she heard loud pops.

Shooter raises gun

  • 10:46 a.m. Thursday

“So I lock eyes with this person, and I see some movement coming from the side of him, and I realize that he’s raising a gun to me,” Darnell said. “I remember thinking in my head, ‘There’s no orange tip on that gun.’ I had heard somewhere in my past that BB guns have an orange tip.

“My body reacted. I jumped to the right. ... I’m turning and I’m jumping to the right. I feel my shoulder turn back. If feels like I’ve been stung by something hot.”

The Nightlock was still in her hand, but the door was locked.

Seeing shooter

  • 10:44 a.m. Thursday

She said the school had gone “completely silent.” As she grabbed the Nightlock, she saw movement in her peripheral vision.

“I look up, and in that moment, I see someone wearing dark, baggy clothes,” Darnell said.

She was seeing him through the partition next to the office door.

She said the person was wearing a hooded sweatshirt, baggy clothes, a mask, and a skull cap.

“I did not see any part -- only his eyes, and he was wearing glasses,” Darnell said.

She said she had never seen this person before.

Shutting office door

  • 10:42 a.m. Thursday

Darnell moved to shut her classroom door. The room has a Nightlock that slides into the bottom of the door and secures it.

The door has glass partitions on the side. If someone shot out the glass to try to get in, the Nightlock would stop the door from being opened.

Darnell’s desk is in the back right in this photo, near the tall standing lamp:

A view of Molly Darnell's office at the time of Nov. 30, 2021. (WDIV)

Experience with guns

  • 10:40 a.m. Thursday

Darnell said her experience with weapons is limited, but she has been to a shooting range in her life.

When she heard the “popping” noise, she thought it might have been lockers slamming. They didn’t necessarily sound like gunshots to her at the time.

What she heard

  • 10:39 a.m. Thursday

She said after about 10 seconds, she heard three things really close together.

  1. The bells chiming and an announcement. The principal went over the PA and said the school was moving into lockdown.
  2. A loud “pop, pop, pop”
  3. Multiple doors slamming.

‘There was no noise’

  • 10:38 a.m. Thursday

Darnell said her first instinct was that there might be a fight. She went out to the hallway and said she saw a bunch of students rushing out of “Door 4.”

She said it was “silent.”

“There was no noise,” Darnell said. She said that was “absolutely unusual.”

She went back into her classroom, still trying to understand what was going on.

Students hurry past office

  • 10:37 a.m. Thursday

Darnell said around 12:50 p.m. Nov. 30, 2021, a student came into her office for a few minutes to chat. She said she generally keeps her office door open.

After the student left, she said she walked around to her desk.

“It was a movement that I had never really seen before,” Darnell said. “They were moving -- like, there was a hyper-ness to the voices and it was almost like they were pushing forward, like trying to move as fast as possible.”

She said that seemed unusual to her.

“I have never seen a group of students move like that before,” Darnell said.

Lunch schedule

  • 10:34 a.m. Thursday

Darnell said Oxford High School students have seven classes, and lunch is split up between A, B, and C sessions -- each one third of one of those seven class periods.

In between classes is called “passing time.”

School map

  • 10:33 a.m. Thursday

McDonald pulled up a map of Oxford High School. Darnell indicated where she worked -- in room 224.

A map of Oxford High School, showing the location of Molly Darnell's office at the time of Nov. 30, 2021. (WDIV)

McDonald questions Darnell

  • 10:27 a.m. Thursday

McDonald began questioning Darnell about November 2021.

Darnell said she was back working in the building in November 2021. For the most part, she worked with teachers, not students. She did not have a traditional classroom.

She shared an office with two other coaches. It was a classroom that had been turned into offices.

Witness: Molly Darnell

  • 10:23 a.m. Thursday

The prosecution’s first witness is Molly Darnell. She was the first witness called during the Jennifer Crumbley trial, as well.

Darnell is an educator employed by Oxford Community Schools. She has spent her entire teaching career with the district.

At the time of the shooting, Darnell worked as a coordinator at the high school. She worked mostly with teachers, especially those in the English and language arts department.

Court back in session

  • 10:22 a.m. Thursday

Matthews returned to the courtroom and brought in the jury.

Court is back in session.

James Crumbley returns

  • 10:17 a.m. Thursday

James Crumbley has been escorted back into the courtroom. He took his place next to Lehman at the defense table.

What’s next

  • 10:16 a.m. Thursday

When the court returns from break, the prosecution will be allowed to call its first witness.

During the Jennifer Crumbley trial, Keast and McDonald began by calling two Oxford High School officials: Molly Darnell and Kristy Gibson-Marshall.

Darnell was shot through the door of her office, and Gibson-Marshall encountered the shooter as he moved through the hallways.

Familiar themes from prosecution

  • 10:09 a.m. Thursday

There were some familiar themes from the Jennifer Crumbley trial in Keast’s opening statement.

The prosecution is obviously going to try to prove that James Crumbley ignored warning signs from his son that should have made it clear the shooter was a danger to others.

They will also highlight the time both James and Jennifer Crumbley spent at the horse barn. During the last trial, prosecutors insinuated that Jennifer Crumbley cared more about spending time with her horses than her son.

Keast also mentioned the Detroit building where the Crumbleys were ultimately taken into custody. Whether or not James Crumbley was trying to avoid arrest will be another topic that’s debated in this case.

Lehman’s argument

  • 10:01 a.m. Thursday

The argument from the defense in the opening statement was essentially that James Crumbley simply had no way of knowing what was going to happen.

Lehman said what happened at Oxford High School was terrible, but her client wasn’t responsible.

Court break

  • 9:53 a.m. Thursday

The court is taking a short break after opening statements.

Lehman’s closing

  • 9:53 a.m. Thursday

Lehman closed her opening statement after about five minutes.

“We are confident that if you follow the law, you will find James Crumbley not guilty,” Lehman said.

DoorDash driving

  • 9:52 a.m. Thursday

Lehman said being a DoorDash driver doesn’t mean James Crumbley’s job was less important to him than anyone else.

She said if he wasn’t aware of the danger, why would he leave work if he thought he didn’t need to.

Lehman’s defense

  • 9:51 a.m. Thursday

Lehman said it’s not true that James Crumbley knew about everything that was going on.

Lehman: Think about what you don’t hear

  • 9:50 a.m. Thursday

Lehman asked the jury to think about what they don’t hear from the prosecution.

She said they won’t hear that James Crumbley knew that his son knew where the SIG Sauer was kept in the house.

“James Crumbley was not aware that his son had access to that firearm,” Lehman said.

She said they’re going to hear extensively about the math worksheet and people from the school.

‘That simply is not true’

  • 9:49 a.m. Thursday

Lehman said the prosecution will try to prove that James Crumbley knew about what was going on with his son and should have known that something dangerous could happen.

“That simply is not true,” Lehman said.

Lehman begins opening statement

  • 9:48 a.m. Thursday

The defense began its opening statement.

Keast ends opening statement

  • 9:47 a.m. Thursday

Keast’s opening statement ended after 23 minutes.

Specifics of case

  • 9:47 a.m. Thursday

Keast said this case isn’t about general gun laws or the storage of weapons.

It’s about this specific gun, this specific teenager, and the situation surrounding James Crumbley.

Parenting

  • 9:45 a.m. Thursday

Keast said this isn’t about bad parenting, but a “preventable mass murder.”

He said the prosecution won’t suggest that parents should be perfect. But he said in this case, a father was able to reasonably assume the intent of his son.

‘Willful disregard’

  • 9:44 a.m. Thursday

Keast said James Crumbley looking at the math worksheet and staying silent and also failing to act shows a “willful disregard” for the danger that could present.

What jury won’t hear

  • 9:42 a.m. Thursday

Keast said the jury won’t hear that James Crumbley knew what was going to happen at the school.

If that was the case, the charges would be murder, Keast said.

15-20 witnesses

  • 9:41 a.m. Thursday

Keast said the jury will hear from “15-20″ witnesses. The prosecution called 21 witnesses to testify during the Jennifer Crumbley trial.

Work on day of shooting

  • 9:39 a.m. Thursday

Keast said the parents told school officials they couldn’t take their son out of school on Nov. 30, 2021, because they had to work.

Keast said James Crumbley hadn’t even signed into work for the day by the time of the meeting. He was working as a DoorDash driver at the time, but Keast said James Crumbley was actually at the vet.

Gun drawing

  • 9:37 a.m. Thursday

Keast said the parents didn’t say anything about the SIG Sauer at the meeting at the school the morning of the shooting.

“Despite what they knew, despite what they saw, James Crumbley and his wife didn’t mention anything about how they bought a gun for their son four days before the shooting,” Keast said.

He said the drawing on the math worksheet looked just like the SIG Sauer.

Math worksheet drawings

  • 9:34 a.m. Thursday

Keast showed a photo of the math worksheet on which the shooter drew a gun and other disturbing images.

The math worksheet will be a major topic throughout this case, as it was during the Jennifer Crumbley trial.

Here’s an image from the last trial:

A look at the two versions of the math worksheet that the Oxford High School shooter drew on before the shooting. (WDIV)

Other guns in Crumbley household

  • 9:32 a.m. Thursday

Keast showed photos of the other two guns inside the Crumbley household: the Kel Tec P-17 pistol and the Cobra Classic ENT Derringer.

Here are some photos of those weapons that we clipped from the Jennifer Crumbley trial:

A Kel Tec P-17 handgun owned by James Crumbley. This is shown during the trial for Jennifer Crumbley on Jan. 25, 2024 (WDIV)
The 22-caliber Cobra Classic ENT Derringer handgun owned by James Crumbley. This is shown during the trial for Jennifer Crumbley on Jan. 25, 2024 (WDIV)

Cable lock

  • 9:30 a.m. Thursday

Keast said James Crumbley was given the tools necessary to keep the gun secure. He showed before and after photos of the cable lock that was sold to James Crumbley alongside the SIG Sauer and told the jury that it had never been used.

Photos shown during statement

  • 9:28 a.m. Thursday

Keast showed a picture of the SIG Sauer 9 mm handgun and social media posts from the shooter and his mother after going to the shooting range.

Spring 2021 evidence

  • 9:28 a.m. Thursday

Keast said there will be evidence presented during the trial that goes back to the spring of 2021. He said that evidence will help paint the picture of why James Crumbley should have seen warning signs.

Best position to prevent shooting

  • 9:27 a.m. Thursday

Keast said James Crumbley is responsible for being grossly negligent.

Keast said James Crumbley was the adult in the best position out of anybody in the world to be able to prevent the shooting.

Keast talks about Oxford High School shooting

  • 9:26 a.m. Thursday

Keast said James Crumbley’s son fired a weapon 32 times inside the halls of Oxford High School. He said the shooter fired at students and teachers.

“James Crumbley bought that gun as a gift for his son four days before the attack,” Keast said. He said James Crumbley failed to secure that gun.

He showed pictures of the four students who were killed.

“What happened inside that school was truly a nightmare come to life,” Keast said. “But it didn’t have to be. It was wholly preventable.”

Prosecution’s opening statement

  • 9:24 a.m. Thursday

Assistant Oakland County Prosecutor Marc Keast began his opening statement.

Jury questionnaire

  • 9:21 a.m. Thursday

Here is the questionnaire that was filled out be jury members before this trial.

No discussing, researching case

  • 9:20 a.m. Thursday

Matthews reminded the jury they cannot discuss the case with anybody, even their family members. They can’t look up articles about the case or do any outside research.

They can’t go on social media or give any information about the case.

More explanation from Matthews

  • 9:14 a.m. Thursday

Matthews explained the process of the entire trial to the jury. She reminded them that they have to presume that James Crumbley is innocent.

She told them that opening statements and closing arguments are not evidence, but an opinion from the defense and prosecution that shows how they view the case.

Involuntary manslaughter

  • 9:07 a.m. Thursday

Matthews explained that the prosecution must prove that James Crumbley was either grossly negligent or failed to perform a legal duty that lead directly to the deaths of Madisyn Baldwin, Tate Myre, Hana St. Juliana, and Justin Shilling.

Gross negligence means willfully disregarding what might happen to others based on your actions or inactions. He must have known of the danger to others, known that he could prevent that danger with ordinary care, and failed to take ordinary care.

To find James Crumbley guilty, the jury must determine that his actions led to the deaths of the four students.

Judge reads jury’s oath

  • 9:05 a.m. Thursday

Matthews read through the initial jury instructions and asked for them to give their oath to try the case justly.

Jury arrives

  • 9:04 a.m. Thursday

The jury has entered the courtroom.

Both sides approach

  • 8:59 a.m. Thursday

Williams stood before the judge brought in the jury. Keast asked if they could approach.

Keast, Lehman, and Williams are speaking to Judge Matthews now.

Exhibit 78

  • 8:53 a.m. Thursday

She also made a ruling about exhibit 78, which is a text conversation between the shooter and his friend.

In the text, the shooter told his friend he was about to do “something really bad” at 8:21 a.m. Nov. 30, 2021, the morning of the shooting.

Matthews said she is not admitting exhibit 78 because the shooter’s state of mind is not what’s issue in this case.

3 exhibits inadmissible

  • 8:47 a.m. Thursday

Matthews made rulings on exhibits 45, 52, and 62, which show texts from the shooter to Jennifer Crumbley at times when the Crumbley parents were taking photos at a horse barn together.

Matthews said those texts are not admissible because they don’t involve James Crumbley.

“I don’t find that there’s enough support to believe that Mr. Crumbley was aware of these texts,” Matthews said.

Matthews enters

  • 8:45 a.m. Thursday

Judge Matthews has entered the courtroom. Court is in session.

James Crumbley arrives

  • 8:44 a.m. Thursday

James Crumbley was escorted into the courtroom by Oakland County deputies in a gray suit and blue tie.

He took his spot next to Lehman.

Still waiting for James Crumbley

  • 8:43 a.m. Thursday

The prosecution and defense have both taken their places at the front of the courtroom. They are still waiting for James Crumbley to be brought in.

More from courtroom

  • 8:38 a.m. Thursday

ATF Special Agent Brett Brandon is in the courtroom with the prosecution, as he was throughout the Jennifer Crumbley trial.

Craig Shilling, the father of Justin Shilling, is in the room, too. There are other Oxford residents in the gallery to watch the proceedings.

Prosecutors arrive

  • 8:32 a.m. Thursday

McDonald, Keast, and chief assistant David Williams have arrived and joined Willis at the defense table.

What we see in courtroom

  • 8:30 a.m. Thursday

Judge Matthews wanted to begin proceedings at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, but so far, not everyone is in place inside the courtroom.

Oakland County Lt. Timothy Willis is sitting at the prosecution table and Lehman is at the defense table. McDonald and Keast have not taken their places yet. James Crumbley is not in the courtroom.

Jury selection recaps

  • 8:21 a.m. Thursday

If you would like to read about what happened during the jury selection process over the past two days, we had live updates throughout the proceedings.

You can go back and read those breakdowns through the links below:

Jury information

  • 8:06 a.m. Thursday

The jury is made up of 15 members -- nine women and six men. Only 12 of them will take part in the final deliberation, with three being drawn out of a hat as alternates.

Among the jurors is a retired nurse, a machinist, a graphic designer, a retired personal trainer, a music teacher, a real estate agent, and an engineer.

Their identities will not be revealed during our coverage, and they will not be shown on camera.

Today’s court schedule

  • 7:53 a.m. Thursday

At the end of Wednesday’s jury selection, Judge Cheryl A. Matthews asked everyone to be back at the courthouse by 8:30 a.m.

She wants the prosecution and the defense to be ready to deliver their opening statements on time.

There will be a break for lunch sometime in the late morning or early afternoon, depending on when there’s a natural opportunity to break.

Proceedings should continue until around 4:30 or 5 p.m.


About the Author
Derick Hutchinson headshot

Derick is the Digital Executive Producer for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.

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