Attorneys representing James and Jennifer Crumbley have formally requested the judge to lift the existing no-contact provision between the three family members: James, Jennifer, and their son Ethan, who is the shooter in the recent tragic incident.
Currently, there is a no-contact order in place between Ethan Crumbley and his parents, prohibiting any communication or interaction between them.
Shannon Smith, the attorney representing Jennifer, argued that despite the felony charges on their records, the Crumbleys have a constitutional right to maintain their family ties.
Oakland County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Marc Keast raised concerns about the request and asked the court for time to prepare a response. The judge, Cheryl Matthews, granted the request and set deadlines for both the prosecution and defense to submit their responses.
Judge Matthews instructed the prosecution to provide their response by the following Tuesday regarding the no-contact order. The defense team was given until April 23 to submit their response.
During the proceedings, Judge Matthews also highlighted that if both James and Ethan Crumbley are incarcerated, the Michigan Department of Corrections would ensure they are not housed together. Typically, co-defendants are not placed in the same correctional facility to avoid potential conflicts or collusion.
