Teen Accused Of Michigan School Shooting Planning To Use Insanity Defense

Funeral Held For Tate Myre, Victim In Oxford School Shooting

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Lawyers for the teen accused of killing four people at Oxford High School plan to use an insanity defense his legal team revealed in court filings. Six students and one teacher were wounded in the November attack.

"Please take notice that pursuant to MCL 769.20a, the Defendant, Ethan Crumbley, intends to assert the defense of insanity at the time of the alleged offense and gives notice of his intention to claim such a defense," Crumbley's attorneys wrote.

He will have to undergo a psychiatric evaluation by a qualified professional, who will determine if he was suffering from mental illness at the time of the shooting. Under Michigan law, Crumbley's defense will have to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the teen lacked the "substantial capacity either to appreciate the nature and quality or the wrongfulness of his or her conduct or to conform his or her conduct to the requirements of the law."

Crumbley is facing 24 charges, including one count of terrorism causing death and four counts of first-degree murder.

Ethan's parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, are also facing charges in relation to the deadliest school shooting since 2018. They were each charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter for failing to notice the potential warning signs and buying him the firearm he used in the attack.


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