Michigan school shooter's parents sentenced to 10 years in prison for not stopping a 'runaway train'

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — The first parents convicted in a U.S. mass school shooting were sentenced to at least 10 years in prison Tuesday as a Michigan judge lamented missed opportunities that could have prevented their teenage son from possessing a gun and killing four students in 2021.

“These convictions are not about poor parenting,” Oakland County Judge Cheryl Matthews said. “These convictions confirm repeated acts, or lack of acts, that could have halted an oncoming runaway train."

The hearing in a crowded, tense courtroom was the climax of an extraordinary effort to make others besides the 15-year-old attacker criminally responsible for a school shooting.

Jennifer and James Crumbley did not know Ethan Crumbley had a handgun — he called it his “beauty” — in a backpack when he was dropped off at Oxford High School. But prosecutors convinced jurors the parents still played a disastrous role in the violence.

The Crumbleys were accused of not securing the newly purchased gun at home and acting indifferently to signs of their son's deteriorating mental health, especially when confronted with a chilling classroom drawing earlier that same day.

The Crumbleys earlier this year were convicted of involuntary manslaughter.

"The blood of our children is on your hands, too,” Craig Shilling told the couple, wearing a hoodie with the image of son Justin Shilling on his chest.

Nicole Beausoleil, the mother of shooting victim Madisyn Baldwin, said the Crumbleys had failed at parenting.

“While you were purchasing a gun for your son and leaving it unlocked,” Beausoleil said, “I was helping her finish her college essays.”

Prosecutor Karen McDonald asked the judge to stretch beyond the sentencing guidelines and order a minimum 10-year prison sentence.

Defense attorneys sought to keep the Crumbleys out of prison, noting they have already spent nearly 2 1/2 years in jail, unable to afford a $500,000 bond after their arrest.

They will get credit for that jail time and become eligible for parole after serving 10 years in custody. If release from prison is denied, they could be held for up to 15 years.

Five deputies in the suburban Detroit courtroom stood closely over the couple, and more lined the walls. James Crumbley, 47, had been recorded in jail making threats toward McDonald.

Before being sentenced, he stood and insisted he did not know his son was deeply troubled.

“My heart is really broken for everybody involved. ... I have cried for you and the loss of your children more times than I can count,” he said.

The couple had separate trials in Oakland County court, 40 miles (64 kilometers) north of Detroit. Jurors saw the teen’s violent drawing on his school assignment and heard testimony about the crucial hours before the attack.

Ethan Crumbley sketched images of a gun, a bullet and a wounded man on a math paper, accompanied by despondent phrases: “The thoughts won't stop. Help me. Blood everywhere. My life is useless.”

Ethan Crumbley had told a counselor he was sad — a grandmother had died and his only friend suddenly had moved away — but said the drawing only reflected his interest in creating video games.

His parents were called to a hasty meeting at school that lasted less than 15 minutes. They did not mention that the gun resembled one James Crumbley had purchased just four days earlier, a Sig Sauer 9 mm.

Mother and son had fired 50 rounds at a shooting range and took 50 more home. Jennifer Crumbley described the gun on social media as an early Christmas gift.

School staff did not demand that the teen go home during the meeting but were surprised when the Crumbleys did not volunteer it. Instead, they left with a list of mental health providers and said they were returning to work.

Later that day, on Nov. 30, 2021, their son pulled a handgun from his backpack and began shooting, killing Shilling, Baldwin, Tate Myre and Hana St. Juliana, and wounding seven other people. No one had checked the bag.

Ethan Crumbley, now 17, is serving a life sentence for murder and other crimes.

The parents ignored "things that would make a reasonable person feel the hair on the back of their neck stand up,” the judge said. “Opportunity knocked over and over again — louder and louder — and was ignored. No one answered.”

Jennifer Crumbley, 46, began her remarks by expressing “deepest sorrow” about the shooting. She also said her comment at her trial about looking back and not doing anything differently was “completely misunderstood.”

“My son did seem so normal. I didn’t have a reason to do anything different,” Jennifer Crumbley said.

She blamed the school for not giving her the “bigger picture” about Ethan Crumbley: sleeping in class, watching a video of a mass shooting, writing negative thoughts about his family.

“The prosecution has tried to mold us into the type of parents society wants to believe are so horrible only a school or mass shooter could be bred from,” Jennifer Crumbley said. “We were good parents. We were the average family.”

During the trials, there was no testimony from specialists about Ethan Crumbley’s mental health. But the judge, over defense objections, allowed the jury to see excerpts from his journal.

“I have zero help for my mental problems and it’s causing me to shoot up the ... school,” he wrote. “I want help but my parents don’t listen to me so I can’t get any help.”

Relatives of the victims were not impressed by the Crumbleys' courtroom comments. Beausoleil said they were portraying themselves as victims.

“The remorse that they were showing has nothing to do with taking accountability for their actions,” Steve St. Juliana, the father of Hana, said outside court. “I’m sure they were sad people lost their lives. I’m sure they’re sad their son is in jail, sad they’re in jail. ... What’s important is for them to recognize that they made mistakes.”

The judge will decide later whether the Crumbleys will be allowed to have contact with their son while the three are in separate state prisons, though McDonald, the prosecutor, said the Corrections Department typically prohibits communication between co-defendants.

Defense lawyers said the Crumbleys have a constitutional right to be a family. But McDonald wondered about the parents of the victims.

"The parents in that courtroom have been deprived of their constitutional right to be parents, and that matters,” she told reporters.

Associated Press writers Corey Williams and Mike Householder contributed to this report.

Follow Ed White at X at https://twitter.com/edwritez

James Crumbley listens to a victim impact statement during his sentencing, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Pontiac, Mich. Jennifer and James Crumbley, the parents of a Michigan school shooter, were sentenced to at least 10 years in prison Tuesday for failing to take steps that could have prevented the killing of four students in 2021. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Jennifer Crumbley, walks by her husband James Crumbley, seated, as she is escorted out of court after their sentencing, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Pontiac, Mich. The Crumbleys, the parents of a Michigan school shooter, were sentenced to at least 10 years in prison Tuesday for failing to take steps that could have prevented the killing of four students in 2021. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

James Crumbley listens to a victim impact statement during his sentencing, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Pontiac, Mich. Jennifer and James Crumbley, the parents of a Michigan school shooter, were sentenced to at least 10 years in prison Tuesday for failing to take steps that could have prevented the killing of four students in 2021. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

James Crumbley addresses the court during his sentencing, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Pontiac, Mich. Jennifer and James Crumbley, the parents of a Michigan school shooter, were sentenced to at least 10 years in prison Tuesday for failing to take steps that could have prevented the killing of four students in 2021. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

James Crumbley is escorted out of court after his sentencing, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Pontiac, Mich. James and Jennifer Crumbley, the parents of a Michigan school shooter, were sentenced to at least 10 years in prison Tuesday for failing to take steps that could have prevented the killing of four students in 2021. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Jennifer Crumbley listens during victim impact statements during her sentencing, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Pontiac, Mich. Jennifer and James Crumbley, the parents of a Michigan school shooter, were sentenced to at least 10 years in prison Tuesday for failing to take steps that could have prevented the killing of four students in 2021. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Buck Myre hugs Reina St. Juliana, Hana St. Juliana's sister, after the sentencing of James and Jennifer Crumbley, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Pontiac, Mich. The Crumbleys, the parents of a Michigan school shooter, were sentenced to at least 10 years in prison Tuesday for failing to take steps that could have prevented the killing of four students in 2021. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

James Crumbley arrives for his sentencing, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Pontiac, Mich. The parents of Ethan Crumbley are asking a judge to keep them out of prison as they face sentencing for their role in an attack that killed four students in 2021. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

James Crumbley listens to his attorney Mariell Lehman, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Pontiac, Mich. Jennifer and James Crumbley, the parents of Ethan Crumbley are asking a judge to keep them out of prison as they face sentencing for their role in an attack that killed four students in 2021. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Jennifer Crumbley arrives for her sentencing, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Pontiac, Mich. A judge agreed that the parents of a Michigan school shooter were trying to avoid police when they were holed up in a Detroit art studio before their arrest in 2021. James and Jennifer Crumbley were in court to face sentencing for involuntary manslaughter for their role in an attack that killed four students at Oxford High School in 2021. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

James Crumbley listens during sentencing, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Pontiac, Mich. The parents of Ethan Crumbley are asking a judge to keep them out of prison as they face sentencing for their role in an attack that killed four students in 2021. (Clarence Tabb, Jr./Detroit News via AP)

Jennifer Crumbley stares at her husband James Crumbley during sentencing at Oakland County Circuit Court, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Pontiac, Mich. The Crumbley's were each sentenced to at least 10 years in prison Tuesday for failing to take steps that could have prevented the killing of four students in 2021. (Clarence Tabb Jr./Detroit News via AP)

Defendant James Crumbley speaks before his sentencing for involuntary manslaughter in a school shooting committed by his son, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Pontiac, Mich. His wife, Jennifer Crumbley, center, listens. The Crumbleys were each sentenced to at least 10 years in prison Tuesday for failing to take steps that could have prevented the killing of four students in 2021. (AP Photo/Ed White)

Jennifer Crumbley stares at her husband James Crumbley during sentencing at Oakland County Circuit Court, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Pontiac, Mich. Jennifer and James Crumbley, the parents of Ethan Crumbley, are asking a judge to keep them out of prison as they face sentencing for their role in an attack that killed four students in 2021. (Clarence Tabb Jr./Detroit News via AP)

FILE - James Crumbley enters the Oakland County Courtroom of Cheryl Matthews during his trial, March 13, 2024, in Pontiac, Mich. (Mandi Wright/Detroit Free Press via AP, Pool, File)

FILE - Jennifer Crumbley, left, looks to attorney Shanon Smith, Feb. 5, 2024, in Pontiac, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, Pool, File)

From left, James Crumbley, defense lawyer Mariell Lehman, Jennifer Crumbley, and defense lawyer Shannon Smith await sentencing in Oakland County, Mich., court on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. The Crumbleys were convicted of involuntary manslaughter for a school shooting committed by their son in 2021. (AP Photo/Ed White)

FILE - Jennifer Crumbley, left, looks to attorney Shanon Smith, Feb. 5, 2024, in Pontiac, Mich. In a court filing Wednesday, April 3, prosecutors in Michigan recommended at least 10 years in prison for Jennifer and James Crumbley, two parents who are the first in the U.S. to be held criminally responsible for a school shooting, when they're sentenced Tuesday, April 9. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, Pool, File)

FILE - James Crumbley enters the Oakland County Courtroom of Cheryl Matthews during his trial, March 13, 2024, in Pontiac, Mich. In a court filing Wednesday, April 3, prosecutors in Michigan recommended at least 10 years in prison for Jennifer and James Crumbley, two parents who are the first in the U.S. to be held criminally responsible for a school shooting, when they're sentenced Tuesday, April 9. (Mandi Wright/Detroit Free Press via AP, Pool, File)

Facing likely prison sentences, Michigan school shooter's parents seek mercy from judge

Facing likely prison sentences, Michigan school shooter's parents seek mercy from judge

NEW YORK (AP) — More worries about inflation and interest rates staying high are knocking U.S. stocks lower on Tuesday, as the market closes out its worst month since September.

The S&P 500 was down 1% in late trading and on track to close out its first losing month in the last six. Its momentum slammed into reverse in April, falling as much as 5.5% at one point, after setting records through the early part of the year.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 430 points, or 1.1%, as of 3 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 1.3% lower.

Stocks began dropping as soon as trading began, after a report showed U.S. workers won bigger gains in wages and benefits than expected during the first three months of the year. While that’s good news for workers and the latest signal of a solid job market, it feeds into worries that upward pressure remains on the economy and inflation.

It's the latest in a string of reports on inflation and the overall economy to come in stubbornly higher than forecast. That's pushed traders to largely give up on hopes that the Federal Reserve will deliver multiple cuts to interest rates this year. That in turn has sent Treasury yields jumping in the bond market, which has cranked up the pressure on stocks.

Tuesday's losses accelerated in the afternoon as traders made their final moves before closing the books on April, and ahead of Wednesday's afternoon announcement by the Federal Reserve on interest rates.

No one expects the Federal Reserve to change its main interest rate on Wednesday. But traders are now mostly betting the Fed will cut rates either one or zero times through the balance of this year, according to data from CME Group. That’s a big letdown after traders came into the year forecasting six or more cuts.

The Fed itself was earlier penciling in three cuts to rates during 2024, but top officials have recently hinted rates may stay high for longer as they wait for more confirmation inflation is heading down toward their 2% target. The Fed’s main interest rate is sitting at the highest level since 2001, which puts downward pressure on the economy and investment prices.

Without the benefit of easing interest rates, companies will need to deliver bigger profits in order to support their stock prices, which critics have called too expensive following their run to records.

GE Healthcare Technologies tumbled 13.1% after it reported weaker results and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. F5 dropped 7.8% despite reporting a better profit than expected. Its revenue fell short of forecasts, and it said customers were remaining cautious and forecasting largely flat IT budgets for the year.

McDonald’s erased an early loss and was up 0.1% after its profit for the latest quarter came up just shy of analysts’ expectations. It was hurt by weakening sales trends at its franchised stores overseas, in part by boycotts from Muslim-majority markets over the company’s perceived support of Israel.

Helping to keep the market's losses in check was 3M, which rose 5.3% after reporting stronger results and revenue than forecast. Eli Lilly climbed 5.2% after turning in a stronger profit than expected on strong sales of its Mounjaro and Zepbound drugs for diabetes and obesity. It also raised its forecasts for revenue and profit for the full year.

This earnings reporting season has largely been better than expected so far. Not only have the tech companies that dominate Wall Street done well, so have smaller companies across a range of industries.

That’s a change from the recent past, and it helped push strategists at Deutsche Bank to raise their forecast for full-year earnings growth for the S&P 500. Many companies are topping forecasts because they’ve been able to wring more profit out of each $1 of revenue than analysts were expecting, according to Binky Chadha, chief strategist at Deutsche Bank.

Such strength could support stock prices even if interest rates end up staying high, according to Kristy Akullian, head of iShares Investment Strategy, Americas.

“Equities don’t need Fed rate cuts for the rally to continue, all they need is solid earnings growth,” she said.

In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.68% from 4.61% just before the report’s release.

The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for the Fed, jumped back above the 5% level to 5.03% from 4.97% late Monday.

In stock markets abroad, Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 1.2% after reopening following a holiday. The government reported stronger-than-expected gains in industrial production for March.

Indexes were mixed across much of the rest of Asia, but lower in Europe.

AP Business Writers Yuri Kageyama and Matt Ott contributed.

A person passes the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday, April 30, 2024 in New York. Global shares are trading mostly higher as investors keep their eyes on potentially market-moving reports expected later this week. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan)

A person looks at an electronic stock board showing Japan's stock prices at a securities firm Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Tokyo. Asian shares mostly rose Tuesday, as investors kept their eyes on potentially market-moving reports expected later this week. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

A window cleaner works along the window of at a securities firm building Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Tokyo. Japanese characters read as "securities." (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

A person walks in front of an electronic stock board showing Japan Yen/U.S. dollar exchange rate at a securities firm Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Tokyo. Asian shares mostly rose Tuesday, as investors kept their eyes on potentially market-moving reports expected later this week. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

A person stands in front of an electronic stock board showing Japan's Nikkei 225 index at a securities firm Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Tokyo. Asian shares mostly rose Tuesday, as investors kept their eyes on potentially market-moving reports expected later this week. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

A person walks in front of an electronic stock board showing Japan's Nikkei 225 index at a securities firm Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Tokyo. Asian shares mostly rose Tuesday, as investors kept their eyes on potentially market-moving reports expected later this week. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

People pass by an electronic stock board showing Japan's Nikkei 225 index, left, and U.dollar/Japanese yen conversion rate at a securities firm Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Tokyo. Asian shares mostly rose Tuesday, as investors kept their eyes on potentially market-moving reports expected later this week.(AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

People stand in front of an electronic stock board showing Japan's Nikkei 225 index at a securities firm Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in Tokyo. Asian shares mostly rose Tuesday, as investors kept their eyes on potentially market-moving reports expected later this week.(AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)