DETROIT (Court TV/Scripps News Detroit) — Confessed school shooter Ethan Crumbley is back in court Thursday to ask a judge to avoid a sentence of life without parole after he pleaded guilty to the murders of four students and the shooting of seven other people in November 2021.
FILE – This booking photo released by the Oakland County, Mich., Sheriff’s Office shows Ethan Crumbley. (Oakland County Sheriff’s Office via AP, File)
A judge is considering several factors before deciding whether or not life in prison without the possibility of parole is an appropriate punishment for the teen.
Thursday marks the first day of what is expected to be several days of public hearings, and it’s expected that survivors of the shooting at Oxford High School will speak.
“No matter how old he is, he made adult decisions and needs to suffer adult consequences,” Sandra Arthur said. Her daughter, Phoebe, was one of the seven who were shot. “He murdered 4 people and tried to murder my daughter. He doesn’t deserve a free minute outside for the rest of his existence.”
Defense attorneys disagree and instead want the judge to throw out the life without parole for a shorter sentence.
Court filings show the defense team will argue his home environment and mental illness are factors to be considered.
Prosecutors reportedly plan to call detectives and survivors to the stand and possibly show surveillance video from the devastating day.
After the hearing is complete, the judge will set two dates: One to announce his decision after reviewing the case and a second date for sentencing.
This story was originally published by Scripps News Detroit, an E.W. Scripps Company.
