▲Imori
In November 2021, a shooting occurred at Oxford High School in Michigan, USA. Ethan Robert Krubley, a 15-year-old American boy who shot at Oxford High School in Michigan, killing four students, was sentenced to life in prison and is currently serving his sentence. After more than two years, his parents can't stay out of it.
On April 9, 2024, James Krubley, 47, and Jennifer Klebley, 46, were sentenced to 10-15 years in prison, becoming the first parents in the United States to be convicted of manslaughter for their children's school shootings. This is the first time in the history of U.S. law that a parent has been held criminally responsible for his child's involvement in a mass shooting at a school. Both have been in prison for more than two years while awaiting trial.
Judge Cheryl Matthews of the Oakland Circuit Court in Michigan reportedly said the conviction was not about improper parenting, but rather about punishing the parents for "a series of inactions." Judge Cheryl said the decision should serve as a deterrent to deter future school shootings.
▲Ethan was sentenced to life imprisonment a few days ago
Learned that the son searched for ammunition information
Mother said, "You must learn not to be caught."
The pistol Ethan used to commit the crime was a Christmas present that the Croubles had bought for their son four days before the crime, and they later took Ethan to shooting practice.
After learning that her son was searching for ammunition on his phone, his mother, Jennifer, simply told her son not to be found via text message. She said, "Haha, I'm not angry. You have to learn not to get caught. ”
▲Ethan's mother, Jennifer (left), speaks in court
Earlier in the day of the shooting, the teacher found a bloody painting in Ethan's desk and told his parents to go to school. The painting has a pistol next to a figure with bullet holes in his body, as well as the words "blood everywhere" and "help me, these thoughts can't stop". The gun in the painting is very similar to the one his parents bought for him.
Ethan's parents did not take their son from school after seeing the painting, but left the school on their own.
A few hours later, 15-year-old Ethan came out of the school bathroom with a gun and began his mass shooting, killing four people and wounding seven.
Ethan's diary reveals his long runaway from control: "My mental problems were not getting any help and forced me to shoot at the damn school...... I wanted help, but my parents wouldn't listen to me. Prosecutors told the jury that if their parents had taken "very few steps", the four Oxford high school students might still be alive.
Prosecutors said the couple could have locked up ammunition and guns, told the school that they had just given him a gun, and told the school that their son's mental health had deteriorated. However, they chose "inaction".
Parents argue that:
was "manipulated" to buy a gun, not knowing that he would use it to kill people
In court, the Krubleys looked shocked when they learned of the verdict. Prior to this, the father, James, apologized to the victim's parents, expressed his regret for his son's actions, and said that if he had known about his son's condition, he would have acted differently.
▲Ethan's father, James, spoke in court
On the day of the trial, the parents of one of the slain students, wearing a hoodie with a picture of their son on it, shouted at the Krubleys: "You have our children's blood on your hands!"
At trial, the Rubleys argued that their son had "manipulated" them into buying a gun and that they did not know that the son would use it to kill. They argued that they had made "mistakes that any parent can make."
Jennifer said they were just ordinary parents. "We're not perfect, but we love our son and each other so much," she said. This could be the situation of any parent. Your son or grandson, nephew, niece, brother, sister may all make fatal decisions, not just with guns, but also with knives, vehicles, whether intentionally or unintentionally. ”
The couple insisted that their son, Ethan, was a normal teenager who was just frustrated by the death of his grandmother, the loss of his pet dog and the move of a friend.
▲ Judge Cheryl
Judge Cheryl said the sentencing decision was "largely an attempt to set an example." "It's a big punch to all parents, all those who have guns in their homes, and if they can end up in the wrong hands, lock them up. She said.
Across the United States, there is a growing trend of blaming parents or gun manufacturers. "People are angry about mass shootings, but there's no solution in sight. This is the beginning of finding a countermeasure. Thaddeus Hofmeister, a professor of law at the University of Dayton (Ohio, USA), believes that "the winds are beginning to reverse. ”
Source: Red Star News