Oxford High School shooting: Prosecutor agrees with bond set for Crumbleys, says shooter's parents will flee
OXFORD, Mich. (FOX 2) - The Oakland County Prosecutor's Office said that the bond set for the parents of Oxford High School shooter Ethan Crumbley is appropriate after their lawyers requested a lower bond Wednesday.
"The facts laid out in the brief we submitted to the court today speak for themselves. And based on those facts, we strongly believe that the bond for James and Jennifer Crumbley was set appropriately," said David Williams, the chief assistant prosecutor.
The bond for James and Jennifer Crumbley was set at $500,000. The parents are facing charges after they allegedly purchased a gun for their 15-year-old son. That gun was used to kill four students at Oxford High School on Nov. 30.
The filing claims that the parents knew their son was depressed, was fascinated by guns, was looking up ammunition at school, and watched violent videos hours before the shooting.
Prosecutors also allege that Ethan Crumbley's only friend had moved away at the end of October, the family dog had died, and he was sadder than usual.
Read more Oxford HS shooting coverage here.
Defense attorney Shannon Smith asked that their bond be lowered to $100,000. She said they would wear an electronic monitor if released from jail.
Smith acknowledged that Jennifer Crumbley sent a text message to her son that day, telling him "don’t do it." But Smith said it was a plea for him to not kill himself after the shooting at Oxford High School had already occurred, and the gun was missing from home.
However, the prosector's office presented facts Thursday that officials say shows the Crumbleys are a flight risk if they were to be released.
According to a brief filed by prosecutors, the Crumbleys were more than $11,000 behind on house payments as of Oct. 18 and sold horses they owned.
The brief also noted that the Crumbleys have their house for sale had have had numerous people in and out of the house recently preparing it to sell.
"They have already shown that they will flee if they get the opportunity," the brief read.
The Crumbleys were arrested early Dec. 4 in a building in Detroit. After they were charged, they were expected to turn themselves in, but authorities started a manhunt for Jennifer and James Crumbley.
READ: Tip led to arrest of James, Jennifer Crumbley in basement of building
Attorneys for the Crumbleys claimed that the pair had left the area after the shooting for their safety and were on their way back once charged.