A three-hour hearing on behalf of Ethan Crumbley, Oxford High School shooter, took place yesterday to consider whether Crumbley should be moved from jail to a juvenile facility.
The defense team argues that Crumbley is mentally unwell and crying out for help that he didn’t get ahead of the shooting that left four dead.
“This extreme isolation is actually not beneficial whatsoever and actually harms Mr. Crumbley,” his defense said. “It is essentially a cement cell with a glass door, and because the rule is that he has to be out of sight and sound from adults, he has very little interaction with anyone.”
Prosecutors laid out an argument showing Crumbley’s mental acuity and interests that warranted he remain at the county jail.
“He asked in jail, ‘How do I get my fan mail? How do I get my hate mail?’ He wants that notoriety,” Assistant Oakland Prosecutor Kelly Collins argued in court Tuesday, alleging the teenager also communicates with the outside world through a tablet, telling them things like: “My court date is Feb. 22. Maybe you can watch me on TV.”
- “In a text read with his friend and in his journal, he outlined a plan to stalk, rape, torture and ultimately kill a female classmate,” the prosecutor said. “He expressed delight in torturing a family of baby birds and he wrote about the joy he received in listening to them squeal as he killed them.
- “The evidence will show that he bragged about wearing a mask to the public,” she said. “He enjoyed his dark side. The defendant isn’t who he appears to be. He allows people to see who he wants them to see, and only those close to him, such as his parents, would understand or recognize it. He is fascinated with violence, weapons and seeing others suffer.”
- In his journal, he talked about the type of gun he needed, who his first victim would be and ultimately expressed that he would surrender so he could witness the pain and suffering that he caused, according to prosecutors.
- “He spoke of his admiration for Adolf Hitler and Jeffrey Dahmer, specifically stating, ‘When you die, you need to be remembered for a long time, doing something that will make people think of you until time ends.’”
The manager of the Oakland County Children’s Village described the juvenile center as an area that can house up to 60 people, typically from ages 11 to 17. Currently there are 38 juveniles there whose crimes range from drug offense, to joyriding, to retail fraud, to assault, but none for murder.
It is one large building divided into three units that separate genders with one main school hall. Residents have individual rooms with doors where they remain from 8:30pm to 7am. During the day they are in class, a cafeteria-type location, a courtyard, a gymnasium, or a day room for board games, cards and television.
“I have concerns about the trauma impact on other young people. … This is a devastating situation and we don’t know what his presence in our classrooms — how that may trigger or impact other young people. I would also be concerned about his safety,” the manager stated.