On November 30, 2021, when Ethan Crumbley opened fire on his classmates at Oxford High School killing four students, the reactions to this modern American phenomenon were sadly familiar. The events that unfolded in the aftermath of the Michigan shooting, however, were anything but. The teenage assailant’s parents, Jennifer and James, were thrust into the national spotlight, when, in an unprecedented turn of events, the two were charged in connection with their son’s acts of violence. Raising questions about parental responsibility, agency and what could have been done to prevent the heartbreaking tragedy, Law and Crime presents the most in-depth analysis to date – exploring these complex questions and more by taking you behind the scenes of the historic trials of Jennifer and James Crumbley in SINS OF THE CHILD.

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The quaint Michigan township of Oxford is rocked by a devastating tragedy when a 15-year-old boy opens fire at the local high school. As the day unfolds, startling details emerge as to how he came into possession of the gun used in the shooting and red flags that were dismissed just hours before the attack.

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The Oxford High School shooter is charged with murder and terrorism. While the Oakland County Prosecutor makes her case to try him as an adult, it becomes undeniable that the shooter’s parents bear some responsibility in the senseless murders of four teenagers. In a legal landmark, involuntary manslaughter charges are announced against Jennifer and James Crumbley. But Jennifer and James are nowhere to be found.

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The Oxford High School shooter’s attorneys have a change of heart on their approach to fighting his twenty-four charges. Now, the defense and prosecution must make their cases for whether or not he will be eligible for a sentence of life without parole. Over the course of a four day Miller Hearing, the court hears arguments from experts with varying opinions regarding the shooter’s potential to be rehabilitated. And, victims give first-hand testimony from the day of the shooting.

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At the shooter’s sentencing hearing, loved ones of the slain and victims of the violence share their impact statements. Their compelling testimony is weighed by Judge Kwame Rowe, who must decide whether the teenage assailant will serve life without parole.

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Now that the Oxford High School shooter has finally been sentenced, Oakland County prosecutors shift their focus to his parents. Separate trials are ordered for James and Jennifer based on new character-witness statements submitted to the court. First to be tried, Jennifer Crumbley’s seven day trial begins. Expert testimony, witnesses, and a mountain of evidence are stacked against her in the fight to determine her culpability in the murders of four teenagers.

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At James Crumbley’s trial, questions arise over how safely the gun used to carry out the Oxford High School shooting was stored. And, the sympathetic characterization of James is turned on its head when recorded phone calls from jail are played for the court.

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James and Jennifer Crumbley are sentenced together. But for the victims of the Oxford High School shooting, their fates are merely the beginning of their quest for answers. The school itself becomes the focus of litigation, and the civil suit has far-reaching implications.

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