PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — The parents of a teenager who killed four students at Michigan’s Oxford High School are seeking permission to attend his sentencing while they also face charges in the attack.
Ethan Crumbley, 17, could be sentenced to life in prison on Dec. 8. James and Jennifer Crumbley, who are charged with involuntary manslaughter, have had no contact with their son for nearly two years, though all three are being held at a suburban Detroit jail.
“Understandably, this hearing is of paramount importance, and would be to any parent, no matter what their child has done,” defense lawyers Shannon Smith and Mariell Lehman said in a court filing Thursday.
Prosecutors are opposed to having the Crumbley parents in court, saying their presence would be a distraction, especially for victims who plan to speak at the sentencing, the Detroit Free Press reported.