Oxford High School shooter seeks to appeal life sentence; court hearing scheduled Thursday
Oxford shooter speaks in court ahead of sentencing
The teenager who pleaded guilty to killing four of his classmates told the judge: "I have done terrible things that no one could ever do. I have lied and I am not trustworthy. I've hurt many people. And that's what I've done. And I'm not denying that, but that's not who I plan on to be."
OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. (Fox 2) - Nearly three years after he opened fire inside his high school, killing four and injuring others, the Oxford High School shooter wants his sentence overturned.
The shooter, who was 15 at the time and is now 18, was sentenced last December to life in prison without parole for the Nov. 30, 2021 shooting after pleading guilty to two dozen charges, including murder and terrorism.
Earlier this year, the State Appellate Defender Office (SADO) announced that it was seeking to withdraw his plea and appeal for a new sentence. The office filed motions to both withdraw the plea and change the sentence in June, per court records.
Thursday will be a status conference about the case.
SADO said that while looking into the case, it "uncovered new and compelling evidence that does not support a life without parole sentence" in a press release after the motions were filed.
In that release, the office questioned whether the teen actually understood the plea.
"Due process requires that every person who pleads must understand what they are doing, this is even more true when the person pleading is a child," the release said.
SADO also pointed the finger at his parents, alleging that he may have suffered from fetal alcohol syndrome because his mother drank while pregnant with him. According to SADO, this could have stunted his emotional and social maturity as he aged.
James and Jennifer Crumbley shift blame during sentencing, apologize for son's actions
The moment before the Crumbley's learned their fate, the were given the chance to address the court - and made several notable statements.
The shooter's age required him to undergo a series of court dates, known as a Miller hearing, before Judge Kwame Rowe could decide that he could be sentenced to life without parole. After determining that he understood what he was doing, he was sentenced.
"The court cannot ignore the deep trauma defendant caused the state of Michigan, but in particular the Oxford community. The court simply cannot ignore that," Rowe said during the sentencing. "He chose not to die on that day, because he wanted the notoriety."
However, SADO argues that the sentence is inappropriate.
"This type of sentence for a child goes against what we all know about kids — they change," attorneys with SADO wrote. "A life without parole sentence for a child is unconscionable."
The Oakland County Prosecutor's Office and jurors also decided that the blame did not fall squarely on the teen. His parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, are currently in prison after separate juries found them both guilty of involuntary manslaughter. They were sentenced to 10-15 years behind bars.