James Crumbley trial: When will it begin? And what else is known
How Jennifer Crumbley's guilty verdict sets precedent for future school shooting cases
Just moments after Jennifer Crumbley was found guilty on four counts of involuntary manslaughter, FOX 2's Charlie Langton discusses how her guilty verdict will set school shooting precedent for prosecutors and parents across the country.
With a guilty verdict being found in the trial for the Oxford school shooter’s mother, Jennifer Crumbley, eyes are now looking ahead to when the shooter’s father will face trial next.
Last fall, James Crumbley filed a motion for his trial to be separate from his wife’s, which was granted.
Here is what’s known so far about his time in court:
When is James Crumbley’s trial?
James and Jennifer Crumbley appeared in court on Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021 on involuntary manslaughter charges.
James Crumbley’s trial is set to begin on Tuesday, March 5, 2024.
It will begin with jury selection, which could take a number of days. In Jennifer Crumbley’s trial, it took about a day and a half.
Who is James Crumbley’s lawyer?
James Crumbley will have a different lawyer than the one who represented his wife during her trial, Shannon Smith.
James Crumbley is being represented by criminal defense attorney Mariell Lehman, who has her own practice in Shelby Township.
What is James Crumbley charged with?
Fugitive James Crumbley was arrested early Saturday on charges of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the Oxford HS mass shooting.
As is the case with his wife, James Crumbley is accused of making a gun accessible and ignoring his son's mental health needs ahead of the shooting at Oxford High School in November 2021 that killed four students.
He’s charged with involuntary manslaughter.
He and Jennifer are the first parents in the U.S. to be charged in a mass shooting committed by their child.
RELATED: Jennifer Crumbley Verdict: Oxford shooter's mom found guilty of involuntary manslaughter
Are Jennifer and James Crumbley still married?
Jennifer Crumbley testified during her trial that she and James are still married, but said they have not had contact in two years.
She and James have been in custody since shortly after the shooting, unable to afford a $500,000 bond. Their son is in the same jail, though they have no contact with him.
He was sentenced in December to life in prison without parole after pleading guilty to terrorism and murder.
What did Jennifer Crumbley’s trial tell us about James?
During Jennifer Crumbley’s testimony, she repeatedly stated that she didn’t care for handling guns and that she would leave her husband in charge of securing the firearm they had in the house.
His role in making a weapon available to the school shooter may be more heavily scrutinized.
It’s not known yet if James Crumbley will testify as did Jennifer.
READ MORE: Prosecutor questions Jennifer Crumbley's trust of James during gun testimony
In terms of the outcome, "Any time you separate defendants, the second party to go is paying very close, close attention to the outcome," Jamie White, a trial attorney in Michigan, told LiveNOW from FOX.
A verdict was reached in Jennifer Crumbley's trial on Feb. 6, after about a day and a half of jury deliberations. They found her guilty on four counts of involuntary manslaughter.
"As far as strategy is concerned, if I'm Mr. Crumbley's lawyer - I'm on the phone tomorrow, trying to work out the best deal I can for him because I think the tone has been set as to how this community aligns this behavior, or lack of behavior," White said after the verdict was reached. "The stage has been set for him and if I am his attorney I am taking the risk away and trying to get the best deal possible."