Michigan high school shooting suspect to plead insanity

DETROIT – Teenager Ethan Crumbley plans to pursue an insanity defense for his alleged role in the Oxford High School mass shooting that killed four students, injured seven others and devastated an entire community, according to a court filing Thursday.

“Please take notice that ... Ethan Crumbley intends to assert the defense of insanity at the time of the alleged offense,” his lawyers, Paula Loftin and Amy Hopp, wrote in the oneparagraph filing in Oakland County Circuit Court.

The filing paves the way for Crumbley to receive a psychiatric evaluation, which is needed to pursue an insanity defense. Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said she has no reason to believe Crumbley’s mental state would affect his ability to face charges.

Mike Rataj, a defense attorney who has used the insanity defense in multiple cases over 30 years, expected this move from Crumbley’s lawyers.

Rataj said the Crumbley defense will have to overcome the factual hurdle of “if he’s actually insane,” which would point to culpability.

“It’s going to come down to a battle of the experts,” Rataj said, “and whether the jury is going to believe that the kid cannot formulate the necessary intent because he’s insane. “People who are schizophrenic – that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re not guilty by reason of insanity.”

The teen is accused of killing four students – Hana St. Juliana, 14; Tate Myre, 16; Madisyn Baldwin, 17; and Justin Shilling, 17 – and injuring seven, including a teacher.

Prosecutors portrayed Crumbley as a troubled and homicidal teen who battled depression, suffered hallucinations, tortured animals and was fascinated with guns and

Nazi propaganda. They blamed the parents for the shooting, saying they ignored numerous red flags that their son was in trouble and bought him a gun.

Crumbley used a gun his parents bought him as an early Christmas present on Black Friday, four days before the massacre on Nov. 30, prosecutors say. His parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, are charged with involuntary manslaughter.

According to police, school officials and the prosecution, the Crumbleys – who met with school officials on the morning of the shooting to address behavioral concerns about their son – never disclosed that they had bought their son a gun. That morning, Ethan Crumbley had drawn a violent note on his homework, featuring a gun and the words “Help me. The thoughts won’t stop.”

School officials called the parents in, but they refused to bring their son home, police and prosecutors said. The school told the parents they had 48 hours to get their son therapy, then allowed Ethan to return to class.

Shortly after, Crumbley opened fire in a hallway in a five-minute rampage.

The 15-year-old was charged as an adult with terrorism and first-degree murder. He could face life in prison if convicted.