Oxford High School Shooter James Crumbley Found Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter

Oxford, Michigan United States of America
On March 13, 2024, James Crumbley was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for his role in the Oxford High School shooting that killed four people and injured seven others. The trial revealed that he had failed to secure a gun at home and ignored signs of Ethan's mental distress. He also made multiple visits to shooting ranges with a parent, including one just three days before the school massacre.
Oxford High School Shooter James Crumbley Found Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter

On March 13, 2024, James Crumbley was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for his role in the Oxford High School shooting that killed four people and injured seven others. The trial revealed that he had failed to secure a gun at home and ignored signs of Ethan's mental distress. He also made multiple visits to shooting ranges with a parent, including one just three days before the school massacre.



Confidence

90%

Doubts
  • It's possible that there were other factors at play during the shooting, such as a lack of security measures or poor police response.

Sources

70%

  • Unique Points
    • James Crumbley's son wrote in a journal he was begging his father for a 9mm gun
    • The shooter's backpack was found inside a bathroom with about 90 loose pieces of paper, school assignments and the journal
    • Det. Lt. Tim Willis testified that James Crumbley ignored Ethan's mental health and provided him with the 9 mm gun he used to kill peers and injure teacher
  • Accuracy
    • James Crumbley ignored his son's mental health and provided him with the 9 mm gun he used to kill peers and injure teacher
    • The shooter wrote in journal entries that he wanted help but his parents didn't listen, so he couldn't get any help
  • Deception (50%)
    The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the title of the article implies that James Crumbley's son wrote a journal entry asking for a gun and this was used as evidence against his father during trial. However, it is not clear from reading the body of the article whether or not this specific journal entry was actually read out in court or if it was just referenced by Detective Lt. Tim Willis when testifying about some contents of James Crumbley's son's journal. Secondly, there are several instances where quotes from James Crumbley's son are presented as evidence against his father without any context or explanation of how they were obtained or what their relevance is to the case. This could be seen as a form of selective reporting and manipulation by the author in order to present a certain narrative about James Crumbley's actions. Finally, there are several instances where quotes from James Crumbley's son are presented without any indication of whether or not they were taken directly from his journal or if they have been paraphrased or edited in some way. This could be seen as a form of deception by the author and may undermine the credibility of their sources.
    • The author presents several quotes from James Crumbley's son that have been paraphrased and edited in some way, which could be seen as a form of deception.
    • The title implies that James Crumbley's son wrote a journal entry asking for a gun, but it is not clear from reading the body of the article whether or not this specific journal entry was actually read out in court.
    • There are several instances where quotes from James Crumbley's son are presented as evidence against his father without any context or explanation of how they were obtained or what their relevance is to the case.
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article contains several examples of an appeal to authority fallacy. The author cites the testimony of Detective Lt. Tim Willis as evidence that James Crumbley's son wrote in his journal about wanting a gun and planning to shoot at school. However, this is not enough evidence to establish that James Crumbley was aware of or responsible for these desires expressed by his son.
    • Detective Lt. Tim Willis with the Oakland County Sheriff's Office testified on the fourth day of James Crumbley's trial about some contents of the journal belonging to Crumbley's son.
  • Bias (85%)
    The article contains multiple examples of religious bias. The author uses the phrase 'begging my dad for a 9mm gun' to suggest that the son is asking his father for permission or approval to acquire a firearm, which implies that there may be some sort of moral judgment being made about whether it is appropriate or not. Additionally, the article mentions that James Crumbley ignored his son's mental health and provided him with a 9mm gun he used to kill peers and injure a teacher. This suggests an ideological bias towards gun ownership and the role of parents in their children's lives.
    • begging my dad for a 9mm gun
      • ignored his son's mental health
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
        The author has a conflict of interest on the topics of James Crumbley and his son's journal entries. The article mentions that Det. Lt. Tim Willis with the Oakland County Sheriff's Office testified about some contents of the journal belonging to Crumbley's son, which includes references to mental health help and a desire for a 9mm handgun.
        • Det. Lt. Tim Willis with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office testified on the fourth day of James Crumbley’s trial about some contents of the journal belonging to Crumbley's son.

        79%

        • Unique Points
          • The school shooter's backpack was found inside a bathroom with about 90 loose pieces of paper, school assignments and the journal
          • James Crumbley ignored his son's mental health issues and did not take reasonable care to prevent foreseeable danger.
          • Ethan made multiple visits to shooting ranges with a parent in 2021, including one just three days before the school massacre.
        • Accuracy
          • The prosecution argues that James Crumbley was grossly negligent and responsible for the shootings because he failed to properly secure the gun.
          • James Crumbley ignored Ethan's mental health issues, and did not take reasonable care to prevent foreseeable danger.
        • Deception (70%)
          I found several examples of deceptive practices in this article. The authors use emotional manipulation and sensationalism to frame the story in a way that is designed to elicit an emotional response from the reader. They also engage in selective reporting, only presenting details that support their narrative while omitting important context.
          • `His son killed four people at a Michigan high school.`
          • `James Crumbley bought a SIG Sauer 9mm gun for his son, failed to properly secure it, ignored his son’s spiraling mental health and did not take ‘reasonable care’ to prevent foreseeable danger`
        • Fallacies (85%)
          The article contains several examples of informal fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by stating that the prosecution's case lacked evidence and asserting that James Crumbley simply didn't know about his son's issues or plans. This is a form of false equivalence, as it implies that not knowing something means you are not responsible for it. The author also uses an example of a slippery slope fallacy by stating that the prosecution aims to expand the scope of blame in mass shootings and use an unusual legal strategy by arguing parents are responsible for their child's actions because they got them a gun and disregarded signs of mental health issues. This is a form of false cause, as it implies that James Crumbley directly caused his son's actions. The author also uses an example of hasty generalization fallacy by stating that Jennifer Crumbley was the first time a parent of a school shooter was held directly responsible for the killings without any evidence to support this claim.
          • The prosecution aims to expand the scope of blame in mass shootings and use an unusual legal strategy by arguing parents are responsible for their child's actions because they got them a gun and disregarded signs of mental health issues.
        • Bias (85%)
          The article discusses the trial of James Crumbley for his role in his son's school shooting. The prosecution argues that he was grossly negligent and responsible for the deaths because he failed to properly secure a gun given to him by his wife as a gift four days before the shooting, ignored signs of Ethan's mental health issues, and did not take reasonable care to prevent foreseeable danger. The defense argues that James had no knowledge about Ethan's plans or actions and was simply following orders from his wife. The article also discusses Jennifer Crumbley's trial for the same charges, which is highlighted by her own testimony in which she pushed blame onto others and expressed no regrets.
          • The prosecution argues that James was grossly negligent because he failed to properly secure a gun given to him by his wife as a gift four days before the shooting.
          • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
            The author has a conflict of interest on the topic of firearms charges as they mention specific types of guns in their reporting.
            • .22-caliber Derringer
              • .9mm ammunition

              90%

              • Unique Points
                • James Crumbley is on trial for involuntary manslaughter. He is accused of failing to secure a gun at home and ignoring signs of Ethan Crumbley's mental distress.
                • Ethan made multiple visits to shooting ranges with a parent in 2021, including one just three days before the school massacre. A security camera at the range recorded him instructing his mother when she appeared to struggle with the newly purchased Sig Sauer 9 mm.
              • Accuracy
                • The parents of a Michigan school shooter declined to take their son home hours before the attack.
              • Deception (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Fallacies (85%)
                The article contains several examples of informal fallacies. The counselor's testimony is full of anecdotes and personal opinions that are not supported by evidence or facts. For example, the counselor testified that he believed it was better for Ethan to stay in school even if his parents took him home because he might be alone at home. This statement is based on a subjective opinion rather than objective evidence or data.
                • The counselor's testimony is full of anecdotes and personal opinions that are not supported by evidence or facts.
              • Bias (85%)
                The article contains examples of religious bias and monetary bias. The author uses the phrase 'God's plan' to describe Ethan Crumbley's actions, which implies a belief in divine intervention or predestination. This is an example of religious bias as it suggests that certain events are determined by God rather than human agency. Additionally, the article mentions that James and Jennifer Crumbley purchased a new gun just four days before the shooting for $100 each, which could be seen as an example of monetary bias.
                • The article mentions that James and Jennifer Crumbley purchased a new gun just four days before the shooting for $100 each
                  • The author uses the phrase 'God's plan' to describe Ethan Crumbley's actions
                  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                    None Found At Time Of Publication
                  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
                    None Found At Time Of Publication

                  62%

                  • Unique Points
                    • James Crumbley's son wrote in journal he was ‘begging my dad’ for a 9mm gun
                    • The shooter's backpack was found inside a bathroom and contained about 90 loose pieces of paper, school assignments, and the journal
                  • Accuracy
                    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
                  • Deception (50%)
                    The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that James Crumbley's son wrote journal entries about desires to acquire a gun and carry out a shooting at the school. However, there is no evidence presented in court to support this claim. Secondly, the author quotes from some of these supposed journal entries without providing any context or explanation for why they are relevant to the case. Thirdly, the article implies that James Crumbley ignored his son's mental health and provided him with a 9mm gun he used to kill his peers and injure a teacher. However, there is no evidence presented in court to support this claim either.
                    • The author claims that James Crumbley's son wrote journal entries about desires to acquire a gun and carry out a shooting at the school. However, there is no evidence presented in court to support this claim.
                  • Fallacies (85%)
                    The article contains several examples of informal fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing the testimony of Detective Lt. Tim Willis as evidence that James Crumbley's son wrote in his journal about desires for a gun and plans to carry out a shooting at school, without providing any context or explanation for why this is relevant or reliable information. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric by describing the shooter's journal entries as
                    • I have zero health for my mental problems and it’s causing me to shoot up the (expletive) school.
                    • I want help but my parents don’t listen to me so I can’t get any help.
                    • My parents won't listen to me about help or a therapist.
                    • All I need is my 9mm pistol, which I am currently begging my dad for.
                  • Bias (85%)
                    The article contains several examples of bias. Firstly, the author uses language that dehumanizes the shooter by referring to him as a 'shooter' rather than using his name. Secondly, there is an example of religious bias in the use of expletives which may be seen as offensive or disrespectful to some readers. Thirdly, there are several examples where the author uses language that implies that James Crumbley was responsible for his son's actions and should have done more to prevent them. This could be seen as a form of moral bias. Finally, there is an example of monetary bias in the mention of financial problems which may be used to create sympathy or empathy with the reader.
                    • The author uses language that dehumanizes the shooter by referring to him as a 'shooter' rather than using his name.
                      • The author uses language that implies that James Crumbley was responsible for his son's actions and should have done more to prevent them. This could be seen as a form of moral bias.
                        • There is an example of monetary bias in the mention of financial problems which may be used to create sympathy or empathy with the reader.
                          • There is an example of religious bias in the use of expletives which may be seen as offensive or disrespectful to some readers.
                          • Site Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
                            The article by FOX 2 Digital Staff contains multiple examples of conflicts of interest on the topics provided. The author is not disclosed and it's unclear if there are any financial ties or personal relationships between the site and its owners that could compromise their ability to act objectively and impartially.
                            • The article does not provide information about any financial ties or personal relationships between FOX 2 Digital Staff and the gun manufacturer of the 9mm gun mentioned in the article that could compromise their ability to act objectively and impartially.
                              • The article does not provide information about any financial ties or personal relationships between FOX 2 Digital Staff, James Crumbley, his son Ethan Crumbley, Oakland County Sheriff's Office or Det. Lt. Tim Willis that could compromise their ability to act objectively and impartially.
                              • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
                                None Found At Time Of Publication