Oxford school shooting suspect's parents retain former Larry Nassar lawyer while son gets court-appointed counsel
DETROIT — James and Jennifer Crumbley bought their teenage son a gun for Christmas. But taxpayers are going to have to pay for his lawyer.
And the parents are fending for themselves.
The Oxford couple have retained high-profile lawyers to defend them on involuntary manslaughter charges connected to last week's mass shooting at Oxford High School that left four students dead.
Their 15-year-old son, Ethan Crumbley, the alleged shooter who is being charged as an adult, is being represented by Paulette Michel Loftin, a Rochester-based attorney with little name recognition.
Meanwhile, Ethan Crumbley's parents are being represented by West Bloomfield attorneys Shannon Smith and Mariell Lehman. Smith previously represented convicted child molester and former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University doctor Larry Nassar. He is serving life in prison without parole. Smith also defended Dr. Jumana Nagarwala in the nation's first female genital mutilation trial, and former MSU football player Josh King in a criminal sexual conduct case.
Local criminal defense experts suspect the reason the Crumbleys didn't hire a private lawyer for their son is simple: money.
"I’m certain they couldn’t afford it," said Bill Swor, a prominent local criminal defense attorney who has practiced for decades in Detroit. He noted that murder trials are very costly — one defense lawyer said retainer fees range between $30,000 and six figures alone — and that the parents also are facing serious charges.
"In some ways, the parents have got a harder case than the kid," said Swor, who believes there's a "lynch mob mentality" out there that will make it difficult for the parents to get a fair trial.
"They’re adults and he’s a child, and the father bought the gun. The mother made the (social media) postings, and public officials ... made public statements that are very prejudicial," said Swor, who stressed that Ethan Crumbley is getting a solid lawyer, retained or not.
"First of all, he’s got a good attorney. The court made certain that he got a good attorney," Swor said of Loftin, Ethan Crumbley's court appointed lawyer. "She is an excellent attorney who knows both juvenile and adult criminal law."
Defense attorney Margaret Raben agreed.
"I think Paulette Loftin is a fine lawyer with a solid background in both juvenile law and adult criminal law," Raben said. "I think she will be a good choice for this kid."
Longtime criminal defense attorney James Thomas also cautioned that it's too early to judge anyone in this case, including the lawyers and the defendants. He, too, believes that Ethan Crumbley has been given a good lawyer, stating: "You may not have seen her in the media, and there may be good reasons why lawyers don't seek publicity ... but if she has the confidence of the court, then you should give her the benefit of the doubt."
Thomas also urges the public to reserve judgment on the defendants until more facts come out.
"This is a horrendous event. And it affects everybody," he said. "On the other hand, how this plays out in court remains to be seen, and we should maybe hold off on rushing to a judgment regarding the parents as to their knowledge; and as to him, as to what his mental state is."
Loftin, who was appointed on Thursday to represent Ethan Crumbley, said she has spoken to her client, but offered little insight into his defense.
"Because I do not have the discovery, I don't have any comment at this time," Loftin said Monday when asked whether there was anything she wanted to say on her client's behalf.
Loftin said she expects to get discovery — or information on the evidence in the criminal investigation from police and prosecutors — later this week.
Ethan Crumbley has been charged with 24 counts, including four counts of first-degree murder and terrorism causing death.
The high school sophomore is accused of killing four people — Hana St. Juliana, 14; Tate Myre, 16; Madisyn Baldwin, 17; and Justin Shilling, 17 — and injuring seven others, including a teacher, during a rampage last Tuesday.
"There are thousands of pages of discovery that I will need to review so that we can make an informed decision about whether or not we wish to have the preliminary exam," Loftin said in an email.
The parents each face four counts of involuntary manslaughter connected to the shooting. That charge carries up to 15 years in prison.
The Crumbleys and their son have all pleaded not guilty in the case.
Police arrested Jennifer and James Crumbley early Saturday morning in Detroit after an intense search that included the U.S. Marshals Service releasing "WANTED" posters and offering a reward for information leading to their arrests.
The couple were arrested after a citizen spotted their vehicle near an industrial building in Detroit and called the authorities. Officials have said the couple took $4,000 out of an ATM in Rochester Hills and ended up in Detroit, where police found them in an art studio inside a commercial building on the city's east side.
Bond for each of the parents was set at $500,000 cash. Their son was denied bond.
Smith did not respond to questions about how she got the case, stating only: "At this time, our office is focused on getting the discovery in this matter. We will not be making any statements, participating in any interviews, or making further comments until we have more information."