The Crumbley Parents Face An Uphill Battle in Appeal Of Manslaughter Convictions

James and Jennifer Crumbley now turn their focus to appealing the involuntary manslaughter convictions they each received for their alleged role in their son Ethan’s deadly shooting at Oxford High School. Legal observers say overturning such a high-profile case on appeal will be an immense challenge, but the Crumbley parents’ attorneys are sure to raise multiple issues with the trial proceedings.

A key argument in their appeals could center on Judge Cheryl Matthews’ decisions around allowing certain evidence to be presented to jurors. Their defense teams strongly objected to graphic surveillance footage of the shooting and journal entries written by Ethan.

What Other Claims Might Feature in The Crumbley Parents’ Appeals?

Defense attorneys may also assert that the charges against the Crumbley parents push the legal boundaries of parental culpability too far. Since no parents had ever before been prosecuted in this way, their lawyers could argue these manslaughter charges should not have been brought at all. However, legal experts note that just because a case breaks new legal ground does not automatically make it grounds for reversal on appeal.

While overturning a jury verdict is an uphill battle, the Crumbley parents’ appellate attorneys will search for any procedural errors or flaws in the judge’s interpretation of the law that could grant the defendants a new trial. But most who commented said success at the appeals court level is unlikely given the high bar appellants must clear. The Crumbley parents now embark on what’s predicted to be a lengthy legal journey as their unique and tragic case continues to make history.