His teenage son, a minor, opened fire and killed four people. Are the parents really responsible? If so, to what extent is the responsibility?
On the 6th, a jury at the Oakland County Court in Michigan found Ethan’s mother, Jennifer Crumbley, guilty of manslaughter for neglecting the shooting death of her son Ethan three years ago. Even in the United States, where school shootings are frequent, this is the first time the perpetrator’s parents have been held accountable.
According to CNN, the court decided to sentence Jennifer on April 9. Some believe that up to 15 years in prison is possible. The verdict of his father, James, who was indicted on the same charges, will be announced sometime next month. This guilty verdict is expected to have a significant impact on Mr. James’ trial.
In November 2021, the couple’s son, Ethan, then 15 years old, opened fire at the high school he was attending. As a result, four students died. Ethan was charged with first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole. He didn’t stop there, Jennifer was also found guilty.
The prosecution charged that Jennifer knew in advance of her son’s intention to commit the crime but did not stop him. On the day of the actual crime, Lee Seon drew a pistol and a bleeding person on a math assignment handed out by a teacher. He also wrote things like “Blood everywhere,” “I can’t stop thinking about (the shooting),” and “My life is useless.”
The teacher who saw this immediately called the couple and warned them, “Ethan needs mental counseling.” However, the two did not tell the teacher, “I bought my son a gun as a Christmas present a day ago.” He didn’t even let his son leave school early and just left school. Ethan pulled the trigger about an hour later.
The prosecution also took issue with the fact that Lee Seon repeatedly tortured or killed animals cruelly, but his parents neglected this. In response, Lee Seon submitted as evidence a diary in which he wrote, “My parents ignore my words, ‘I need help.’”
However, there is criticism that this verdict places excessive responsibility on parents and is tantamount to a type of guilt-by-association system. Jennifer’s lawyer also protested in her final argument, saying, “Parents cannot be responsible for all of their children’s actions.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.