On the eve of trial, it does not appear that James Crumbley’s declaration of being broke was going to help him at all — at least in terms of getting him a free copy of his wife’s trial transcript — which could help him avoid pitfalls.
Crumbley, whose trial began Tuesday over his alleged role in the 2021 Oxford High School shooting carried out by his son, declared in an affidavit last week that he was indigent, and could not afford to pay for the transcript of his wife’s nine-day trial, which ended on Feb. 6 with her conviction. While the affidavit did not say how much the transcript costs, it’s likely about $22,000-$25,000 — given the $2,500 estimate that was provided to the Free Press for two days’ worth of transcripts.
In his affidavit, Crumbley also disclosed how he had paid for his private attorney in this high-profile case.
“I retained my attorney in December 2021 with funds from my family and the sale of my home,” states his affidavit, in which Crumbley also discloses: “I have not paid my attorney additional funds since the funds provided after the sale of my home .”
According to public records, the Crumbley family home on East Street sold for $150,000 on March 6, 2022 — three months after James and Jennifer Crumbley were arrested on involuntary manslaughter charges stemming from the Oxford High School shooting that left four students dead and seven other people injured. It is not known whether the spouses shared the proceeds from the home sale. But what is known is that after their arrests, they were represented by two attorneys who worked for the same law firm, and the couple had planned to proceed to trial together.
But Oakland County Circuit Judge Cheryl Matthews ordered separate trials last year, citing conflicts of interest.
The mother went to trial first, which ended in a conviction. Jennifer Crumbley was convicted on Feb. 6 of involuntary manslaughter as the jury held her criminally responsible for the deaths of four students murdered by her son.
James Crumbley is facing the same charges.
Prosecutors allege the Crumbleys ignored a troubled son who was spiraling downward, and instead of getting him help, they bought him a gun — the same one he used to shoot up his school. The parents are also accused of not disclosing to school officials that their son had access to a gun when they had the opportunity to do so.
Ethan Crumbley pleaded guilty to all his crimes and is serving a life-without-parole sentence.
His parents have maintained they never saw any signs that their son would hurt anyone, or shoot up his school, and that the gun at issue was secured: It was hidden in an armoire, unloaded, with the bullets stashed in a separate drawer under some jeans.
Jury selection for James Crumbley’s case begins at 8:30 am Tuesday in Oakland County Circuit Court in Pontiac. If convicted, like his wife, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
Contact Tresa Baldas: [email protected]