Prosecutor Karen McDonald’s decision to press criminal charges against the parents of the teenager responsible for the deadliest school shooting in Michigan’s history has sparked a debate on parental responsibility, gun legislation, and the legal terrain around criminal law.
Despite doubts from some members of her own staff, McDonald was able to convince two separate juries that the parents, Jennifer and James Crumbley, were guilty of involuntary manslaughter for each of the four students killed by their son at Oxford High School.
The unique circumstances of this trial make it unlikely that similar cases will flood the legal system, according to lawyer Mark D. Chutkow. However, he believes that more prosecutors may adopt McDonald’s approach in the future.
The focus of the trials was on the parents’ failure to act after their son displayed concerning behavior and had access to a handgun. Prosecutors had to navigate legal challenges as Michigan did not have laws requiring firearms to be safely stored in the presence of minors at the time of the shooting.
The verdicts against the Crumbleys can still be appealed, but if upheld, they could set a precedent for prosecutors in states without gun storage safety laws. The trials have also raised awareness among parents about their potential criminal liability if they provide their children with access to firearms.
The impact of the Crumbleys’ cases may depend on how courts and the public interpret the parents’ behavior. Defense lawyers argued that the parents were unaware of their son’s capacity for violence, while experts suggest that the parents missed red flags that could make replicating the prosecutors’ success challenging in other cases.
Regardless of the outcome of any appeal, the message of safe gun storage as a pillar of responsible gun ownership is likely to resonate with parents across the country. The trials have prompted individuals like former U.S. attorney Matthew Schneider to reevaluate their own gun storage practices to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
