Current:Home > StocksOxford school shooter was ‘feral child’ abandoned by parents, defense psychologist says-LoTradeCoin
Oxford school shooter was ‘feral child’ abandoned by parents, defense psychologist says
View Date:2024-12-23 19:46:02
PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — A teenager who killed four students at his Michigan high school in 2021 was like a “feral child,” deeply neglected by his parents during crucial years and mentally ill, a psychologist testified Tuesday at a hearing to determine if the mass shooter will get a life prison sentence.
Ethan Crumbley’s lawyers also played disturbing videos from jail showing the 17-year-old in deep distress as deputies restrained him while he wailed. In one incident, his head is completely covered with a hood. No dates were disclosed.
“Why didn’t you stop it? I’m sorry. ... Stop it, God, why?” he said.
A psychologist, Colin King, said the shooter was experiencing psychosis, a break from reality. He later predicted that the boy “absolutely” can be rehabilitated.
“A number of my clients have had issues with the law,” said King, who has testified in many homicide cases. “Through psychotherapy and support, they’ve been able to make progress. ... Ethan’s brain is still maturing.”
Crumbley pleaded guilty to murder, terrorism and other charges in a shooting that killed four students and wounded seven others at Oxford High School, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) north of Detroit.
Because of his age — 15 at the time — an automatic life sentence would be unconstitutional. Oakland County Judge Kwame Rowe first must consider the shooter’s maturity, mental health, unstable family life and other factors before deciding whether a life term would fit.
Crumbley otherwise would face a minimum sentence somewhere between 25 years and 40 years in prison, followed by eligibility for parole.
King said he spent roughly 24 hours with the shooter during several meetings, interviewing him and running him through a series of psychological tests. He also reviewed the teen’s dark journal entries and text messages.
King disclosed for the first time that the boy believed that a gun was going to be found in his backpack on the day of the shooting when he was sent to the office for drawing violent images in class.
“Ethan said for the first time in his life he felt relieved,” King testified. “He said he just knew the sheriffs were going to burst into the office and arrest him because there was no way, after all that they saw, they weren’t going to search that backpack.”
But the backpack was never checked, and the boy was allowed to remain in school. He later emerged from a bathroom and started shooting.
King said the shooter was raised in a turbulent home by parents who left him alone for hours, argued in front of him and weren’t discreet when discussing infidelity, divorce and suicide. The boy was even forced to figure out what to do with his beloved dead dog.
“He can be considered a feral child,” King said.
“It is essentially a child who has been abandoned. ... Someone who is abandoned has what is called arrested development,” he said. “They lack social cues. They become misfits in society.”
The shooter, King concluded, has major depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
“He’s mentally ill,” the psychologist said.
His parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, are separately charged with involuntary manslaughter. They’re accused of buying a gun for their son and ignoring his mental health needs.
Prosecutors want a life prison sentence with no chance for parole. Last week, they called four people who witnessed the shooting, including a school staff member who was wounded and a student who saved a wounded girl. It was the first time their details were personally aired in court.
___
Follow Ed White at http://twitter.com/edwritez
veryGood! (956)
Related
- FBI offers up to $25,000 reward for information about suspect behind Northwest ballot box fires
- US surpasses 400 mass shootings so far in 2023: National gun violence website
- Robin Thicke's Fiancée April Love Geary Fires Back at Haters Who Criticize Her Photos
- Love Island U.K.'s Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury Engaged After Welcoming Baby
- Blake Shelton Announces New Singing Competition Show After Leaving The Voice
- Doja Cat Debuts Her Boldest Hair Transformation Yet With Spider Design
- Bachelor Nation's Raven Gates and Adam Gottschalk Welcome Baby No. 2
- Coast Guard searching for cruise passenger who jumped overboard
- More human remains from Philadelphia’s 1985 MOVE bombing have been found at a museum
- Steph Curry Admits He's That Parent On the Sidelines of His Kids' Sporting Events
Ranking
- Early Black Friday Deals: 70% Off Apple, Dyson, Tarte, Barefoot Dreams, Le Creuset & More + Free Shipping
- Victoria Beckham Performs a Spice Girls Song With David Beckham and Teases More to Come
- Human remains found in 3 separate suitcases in Florida, police say
- Shop Deals on Activewear as Low as $9 at Nordstrom Clear the Rack Sale: Nike, Adidas, Skechers & More
- Suicides in the US military increased in 2023, continuing a long-term trend
- Weather off the coast of Acapulco hinders efforts to find missing Baltimore man
- How Dance Moms Trauma Helped Inspire Kalani Hilliker's Mental Health Journey
- Cheyenne Floyd Reveals Angry Teen Mom Fans Have Shown Up to Her House
Recommendation
-
Republican Scott Baugh concedes to Democrat Dave Min in critical California House race
-
Get Cozy With 60% Off Barefoot Dreams Deals: Cardigans, Blankets, Pajamas, Loungewear, and More
-
Jamie Foxx Addresses Rumors About His Health in First Video Message Since Hospitalization
-
Megan Fox Caught in Middle of Scuffle After Man Attempts to Punch Machine Gun Kelly
-
Secret Service Agent Allegedly Took Ex to Barack Obama’s Beach House
-
Parker McCollum Defends Miranda Lambert and Jason Aldean Amid Recent Controversies
-
Ariana Grande Dating Wicked Co-Star Ethan Slater After Dalton Gomez Breakup
-
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds' Matilda Date Night Is Sweet as Honey