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The Verdict: Should the James Crumbley Trial be moved out of Oakland County?
Charlie Langton joins The Nine for The Verdict to speak about the James Crumbley Trial. In part two, the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos are children is discussed.
PONTIAC, Mich. (FOX 2) - A judge denied a request by James Crumbley to move his Oxford shooting trial outside of Oakland County.
His defense attorney argued he wouldn't be able to get a fair trial in the county after his wife Jennifer Crumbley was tried in the same courtroom earlier in February.
Until Jennifer Crumbley's conviction, no parent had ever been found guilty in connection to their child committing a mass shooting. The unprecedented nature of the case only added to the media coverage of the trial.
James Crumbley was in Judge Cheryl Matthews' courtroom Wednesday for a hearing about potential witnesses that could testify during the upcoming trial. Jury selection is scheduled to begin on March 5.
Matthews sided with the prosecution after they requested to have the previous owner of the weapon used in the Oxford High School shooting testify. Assistant prosecuting attorney Marc Keast said it was relevant to have the owner because he could speak to the status of the weapon and the cable lock that came with it.
MORE: Jennifer Crumbley Verdict: Oxford shooter's mom found guilty of involuntary manslaughter
Matthews has yet to decide if she'll allow two victims who were shot during the incident to testify.
James Crumbley's attorney Mariell Lehman said it wouldn't be necessary for the two individuals to be in court because it could inflame the passions of the jury.
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
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."
James Crumbley Trial: Previous owner of gun used in Oxford school shooting can testify, judge rules
The condition of the gun and its cable lock will be an important piece of evidence in the upcoming trial of James Crumbley since he physically purchased the gun.