The parents of Ethan Crumbley, the teen charged with killing four students at a Michigan high school didn’t anticipate that he would commit violence and are “devastated” like others in the community, their lawyer said in requesting that they be granted a lower bond, reports the Associated Press. James and Jennifer Crumbley are charged with involuntary manslaughter. They have been jailed on $500,000 bond since their arrest on Dec. 4. They’re accused of making a gun accessible to Ethan and failing to pull him out of school when summoned about his writings before the shooting on Nov. 30.
Defense attorney Shannon Smith acknowledged that Jennifer Crumbley sent a text to her son that day, telling him “don’t do it.” Smith said it was a plea for him not to kill himself after the shooting had occurred and the gun was missing from home. Smith and co-counsel Mariell Lehman said in a court filing. “The last thing [the Crumbleys] expected was that a school shooting would take place, or that their son would be responsible.”
Smith asked that their bond be lowered to $100,000. Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald said she would oppose a lower bond. “It is clear from the media appearances by Ms. McDonald that this case is one she takes very personally, was filed out of anger and filed in an effort to send a message to gun owners,” Smith said. A judge is not expected to consider the new bond request until Jan. 7.