Oakland prosecutor asks court to refuse Oxford shooter’s request to withdraw guilty plea
Prosecutors argue the teenager acknowledged the shootings were premeditated, willful and deliberate and the sentences fit the crimes.
Ethan Crumbley stands with his attorneys Paulette Loftin, left, and Amy Hopp, Friday, Dec. 8, 2023, in Pontiac, Mich.
Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald is asking a judge to refuse the Oxford High School shooter’s request to withdraw his guilty pleas to murder and other charges.
In filings with the court, the prosecution argues the shooter was fully aware of the consequences of his pleas, which resulted in a sentence of life with no possibility of parole.
Prosecutors argue the teenager acknowledged the shootings were premeditated, willful and deliberate and the sentences fit the crimes.
Related: State and county officials not on same page as Oxford shooting victims look for answers
“There was no defect in the plea-taking process; thus, defendant cannot withdraw his plea,” said the prosecution. “Further, defendant testified under oath that he intended to kill; that he acted knowingly; and that his murders were done with premeditation, were willful, and were deliberate…”
Ethan Crumbley, who was 15 years old at the time of the shootings, pleaded guilty two years ago to murdering four students and injuring seven other people. His defense attorneys argue life without parole is too harsh a sentence, citing a troubled home life and the possibility that fetal alcohol syndrome could be a mitigating factor.
Oakland County Circuit Judge Kwame Rowe is now considering the request. There is no specific timeline for a ruling.
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