McCabe: Charges Against Parents in Michigan School Shooting Are ‘Absolutely Called For’

Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe said Friday on CNN’s “Newsroom” that it was “absolutely called for” that Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald charged James and Jennifer Crumbley with involuntary manslaughter after their son 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley was charged for terrorism and murder in the school shooting at Oxford High School in Michigan.

McCabe said, “I was stunned when I heard that they were leaning in that direction because it’s so exceedingly rare. In the few states that have laws that address this sort of thing, really, no one ever gets prosecuted — but listening to the details that came out in the press conference, just absolutely stunning. The prosecutor has literally a mountain of evidence upon which to proceed with these very serious charges of essentially criminally reckless homicide. I think probably what we heard in the press conference is just a sample of what they have so far. Who knows what will come out when witnesses start testifying at an upcoming trial if there is one. It’s incredible, and it’s absolutely called for.”

He added, “I think it maybe is just the sort of thing we need to attract attention to this epidemic of school violence.”

During her press conference, McDonald said, “Both James and Jennifer Crumbley failed to ask their son if he had his gun with him or where his gun was located and failed to inspect his backpack for the presence of the gun which he had with him. James and Jennifer Crumbley resisted the idea of the son leaving the school at that time. Instead, James and Jennifer Crumbley left the high school without their son. he was returned to the classroom.”

Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN

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