Ethan Crumbley: hearing for Oxford High School shooting suspect

ROCHESTER, Mich. (FOX 2) - Accused Oxford High School shooter Ethan Crumbley was represented in court for a hearing connected to the mass shooting that killed four other students and injured seven more.

Crumbley, 15, is being charged as an adult in the shooting and is being held in the Oakland County. Wednesday's hearing will discuss whether the adult facility is the best place for the teenager. Michigan enacted a statute that requires minors held in adult facilities to be evaluated every month by a judge. This evaluation was to happen before Jan. 21 - one month after the statute was enacted.

During the very brief hearing, the judge in the case said that the hearing would be set for Feb. 22 and that both the defense and prosecution are to provide briefs to the court regarding whether either side consents to allowing media coverage of sensitive information in the case which will be due on Jan. 25.

Once both sides agreed, the court adjourned.

Crumbley faces 24 counts after he allegedly killed four students and injured seven others during a rampage through Oxford High School on Nov. 30, 2021.

Crumbley is being held in the adult facility but is kept away from general population, meaning he doesn't see or even hear any adult inmates. Included in the adult inmates are his parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley who each have each been charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter.

On Wednesday, the judge must decide if the adult facility is the best place for the minor. Also on Wednesday, bond will likely be discussed. Crumbley has been held without bond since his arrest.

It is unlikely that Crumbley will be moved or will have a monetary bond set, due to the seriousness of the crime.

According to the 15-year-old's attorney, Crumbley could potentially enter a guilty plea at some point.

Crumbley was last in court a week ago where he was formally arraigned again on the charges. He pleaded not guilty after he was bound over for trail the week before.

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The Oxford High School shooting

Ethan Crumbley's alleged rampage began in the early afternoon of Nov. 30, shortly following a meeting between himself, his parents, and a school counselor that had received a report of disturbing drawings made by the teenager.

The suspected firearm that Ethan used in the shooting had been purchased as part of Black Friday sale days before Nov. 30. According to Prosecutor Karen McDonald, the firearm - a semiautomatic 9-millimeter Sig Sauer handgun - James Crumbley had bought the gun on Nov. 26.

A store employee confirmed with the prosecution that Ethan was present at the time of the purchase.

Prior to that purchase, a teacher at Oxford High School had alerted the district that she saw Ethan searching for ammunition on his cell phone. On the day of the shooting, a separate teacher came across a note on Ethan's desk with a drawing of a semi-automatic handgun pointing at the words "the thoughts won't stop, help me."

In another part of the note, the words above a bullet read "blood everywhere."

Oxford High School shooting: Prosecutors detail Ethan Crumbley's mental state, claim parents failed to help

A new court filing shares details about the mindset of alleged Oxford High School shooter, as well as information about his parents.

In the weeks that followed, McDonald would release more evidence of Ethan's drawings. They offer a window into the shooter's mental state at the time.

MORE: 'Ethan don't do it': Parents of Oxford High School suspect sent messages during shooting

Following the discovery of the drawings, school administrators met with Ethan and his parents. Both declined to take their son home and were encouraged to seek medical treatment for him immediately.

A few short hours later, Ethan is allegedly walked out of a bathroom and started shooting.

Ethan Crumbley charged

Ethan was charged an adult on Dec. 1. He was arraigned on 24 counts, including first-degree murder, assault with intent to murder, terrorism, and possession of a firearm.

His attorney entered a not guilty plea during his arraignment.

MORE: Prosecutor 'doesn't have words' after watching Oxford High School video

While the murder charges track with similar cases of mass shooters, the count alleging terrorism is a novel approach made possible by a law enacted after 9/11.

The state’s 2002 anti-terrorism law defines a terroristic act as one intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population or to affect the conduct of a government through intimidation or coercion.

McDonald admitted that it wasn't a "typical charge" for the crime. But "what about all the children who ran, screaming, hiding under desks? What about all the children at home right now, who can’t eat and can’t sleep and can’t imagine a world where they could ever step foot back in that school? Those are victims, too, and so are their families and so is the community. The charge of terrorism reflects that."

The Oakland County Sheriff supported the charge "100%."

Ethan was ordered to be held without bond.

He was also assigned his own defense counsel: Paulette Michel Loftin.

Probable cause conference delayed

Both the prosecution and the defense requested more time to review evidence during Ethan's first court appearance since his arraignment.

A judge delayed the conference until Jan. 7, citing both the holidays and the totality of evidence that still needed to be reviewed at the time.

During the hearing, assistant prosecutor Marc Keast stated that the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office had turned over more than 500 items of discovery to the defense but also received a flash drive from the sheriff containing 340 more videos and interviews on Monday alone.

Discovery is the evidence and information that the prosecution has gathered in the case and is obligated to turn over to the defense. Both attorneys must have access to the same material before probable cause and preliminary hearings can move forward in court.

Attorney Deborah McKelvy was assigned Ethan's ad litem - which is someone independent of a defendant's legal interest and only focuses on Ethan. She requested that the defendant be moved to Children's Village in Pontiac as he could reportedly hear other inmates in the Oakland County jail.

A judge declined to move Ethan but did request his confinement meet the statutory guidelines while in the facility.

Ethan Crumbley waives preliminary hearing

On Jan. 7, Crumbley was in court for a probable cause conference where he waived his right to a preliminary hearing. By doing so, that sent the case directly to circuit court.

Last week, Crumbley was arraigned in circuit court on the murder and terrorism charges and a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf.