PONTIAC, Mich. — A stoic Ethan Crumbley admitted to an Oakland County judge Monday that he went on a shooting rampage in Oxford High School last year that left four of his classmates dead and seven others wounded, prompting emotional responses from victims' families in the courtroom.
Before Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Kwame Rowe, Crumbley’s attorneys Monday entered the guilty plea to 24 criminal charges including terrorism causing death and first-degree murder, which carry up to life in prison. The 16-year-old was charged as an adult and required to admit that he intentionally tried to shoot and kill Madisyn Baldwin, Tate Myre, Hana St. Juliana and Justin Shilling as well as the six other students and one teacher.
Nicole Beausoliel, whose daughter, Madisyn Baldwin, was fatally shot, began shaking and choking back sobs at the mention of her daughter’s name. She was consoled and hugged by two women.
Paulette Michel Loftin, Crumbley’s lawyer, said before his plea that attorneys withdrew their previous intention of advancing an insanity defense. Outside the courtroom after the 26-minute hearing, Loftin described Crumbley as remorseful and said the plea was his idea.
“He wanted to accept accountability ... to do the right thing," Loftin said.
Every available seat in the courtroom was occupied by the public and media. Some members of the public were directed to an overflow space in the county commissioners' auditorium.
Wolfgang Mueller, a lawyer who is representing the families of slain student Madisyn, 17, and surviving freshman Phoebe Arthur in federal wrongful death and negligence lawsuits, said the guilty plea will bring solace to the victims’ families while prompting more questions.
“It’s a relief for the families that they don’t have to go through the trauma of a trial, but there are so many questions that need to be answered. How did this happen? And who besides he and his parents are responsible? That’ll all come out in the civil case,” Mueller said.
But he added that he was “shocked” by Crumbley’s cold-blooded manner and “showing no emotion" in court.
Attorney Ven Johnson, who is representing the family of Myre and Shilling in civil lawsuits, said the guilty plea was an emotional experience for relatives of the victims who attended the hearing.
“It’s a sad day; it was a difficult day for the clients I had in the courtroom,” Johnson said. “It was very difficult for them to see Ethan Crumbley’s face, when a couple of my clients don’t have a son to see anymore. Even though he said ‘guilty,’ and you’re glad he’s giving some level of accountability, you realize that he’s pleading guilty to killing all those kids, so it’s a mixed bag of emotions.”
Oxford parent Danielle Krozek watched the plea on a live link into the Oakland County courtroom and said it was the first step in holding the shooter accountable for his actions on Nov. 30.
“While today has given some relief, this is not over. ... Accountability must be taken by the parents for their negligence and the school district for the failure to implement threat assessment procedures according to the policy. This will not be easy, but necessary for this community to heal,” Krozek said.
Mitchell Ribitwer, a Royal Oak attorney who has defended hundreds of clients in nearly 50 years of practice, said making a plea in a case without a plea agreement is not uncommon, although somewhat rare in first-degree murder cases.
“In many cases, it can happen with a defense that falls apart — such as insanity defense when you can’t find an expert to testify the defendant was insane at the time of the offense so they have no basis for that defense,” Ribitwer said. “Or also when the prosecution’s case against a defendant is so strong that (the prosecution) is not offering any reduction by pleading to a lesser charge.
“In that type of case, it could be part of a defense strategy to mitigate a future sentencing,” he said. “Plead to an offense as charged, and show some remorse and acceptance of accountability before sentencing a judge could weigh those actions before passing a sentence.”
The guilty plea at a relatively early stage is “certainly unusual” but possibly designed to result in Crumbley being sentenced as a juvenile, Detroit lawyer Bill Swor said. Otherwise, Crumbley faces up to life in prison if sentenced on first-degree murder charges as an adult.
“It may be a decision on the part of his attorneys, in cooperation with him, that they ought to be more focused on disposition than the question of liability,” Swor said.
There also could be more immediate concerns.
“It may be that they want to get him out of Oakland County Jail. It is a terrible place for an adult to be,” Swor said. “A child — especially a disturbed child — I can’t imagine.”
At a Monday news conference, Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said there were no plea negotiations, no plea offers, and no agreements or reduction on sentencing.
Monday's pleas were important, McDonald said, because they will guarantee "that every person who was in Oxford High School that day will have a chance, if they want to, to speak in their own words about how this has affected them."
Before sentencing a juvenile to life without parole, a judge must hold a Miller hearing, named after a 2012 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that found that mandatory life sentences without the possibility of parole were unconstitutional for juveniles.
During a Miller hearing, attorneys can argue and put on testimony and evidence that certain factors in their client’s young life and upbringing require additional consideration at sentencing. Factors can include their home life; environment; peer pressure; inability to know right from wrong; past criminal behavior; remorse; and willing to be accountable for actions.
At the same time, the prosecution has the opportunity to show why the nature and commission of specific crimes — like murder and terrorism — reveal a sentence of life in prison without parole is warranted.
“While the majority of states went on to abolish life without parole entirely, Michigan has not yet, although there is legislation,” said attorney Deborah LaBelle, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Juvenile Life Without Parole Initiative.
Crumbley could be sentenced to life without parole or be subject to a lesser sentence that would have a minimum of 25 to 40 years and a maximum of 60 years, LaBelle said.
The judge will decide whether life without parole is appropriate. Rowe has set a Miller hearing for Crumbley on Feb. 9. Ethan's parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, are both facing involuntary manslaughter charges related to the four school deaths and are expected to stand trial at a date to be determined in early 2023.
During Monday's hearing, Crumbley, his left hand manacled to a waist chain, answered a series of questions on the charges from assistant prosecutor Marc Keast.
"Is it true that your actions on Nov. 30, 2021, caused the deaths of (students Baldwin, Myre, St. Juliana and Shilling), and that it was your intention to kill them?"
"Yes," the 16-year-old replied in a soft voice, nodding. At times, his replies were so soft Rowe asked him to speak up. He looked down most of the time as he answered Keast's questions.
Following the questioning, the judge said: "I accept the plea."
Several relatives of victims filed into a jury room in Rowe’s chambers to discuss the accepted plea with McDonald. Stifled cries could be heard coming from the room.
Oakland County Executive David Coulter said officials will continue to work to support the community.
“The resiliency center will remain open and available to provide residents with mental health and other resources for as long as they need,” he added. “But we’re not done yet. An independent investigation is underway, and we continue to support those efforts for a full accounting of the events leading up to Nov. 30.”
Oxford parent Brian Cooper, who has two teens at the high school and two younger children, watched the plea after it happened Monday morning.
“There is an overall feeling of emptiness. He acted with intentions and needs to spend the entirety of his life in prison,” Cooper said.
“Yes, his parents failed him. I am unable to get past the anger I have toward the school for being the ultimate failure. Their inaction resulted in that plea today. I feel it did not need to happen, and to me, that is unforgivable to all of the families who lost a child, had children that were shot and all the students that will bear the burden of this trauma for the rest of their lives.”
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(Detroit News staff writer Robert Snell contributed to this story.)
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