As convicted school shooter Ethan Crumbley continues to challenge his life sentence, the Michigan Supreme Court has returned his case to the state Court of Appeals.
In an order issued Sept. 17, the justices denied sending the case back to Oakland County Circuit Court, but said the appeals court judges are to consider Crumbley’s claims on three factors: his trial attorney was ineffective regarding preparation and supervision of an expert witness during Crumbley’s “Miller” hearing; the prosecution didn’t adequately state its case for life without parole; and Crumbley’s statements to the court constituted a waiver of his ability to challenge the sentence on appeal.
A Miller hearing is a pre-sentencing proceeding required for young offenders facing life imprisonment. It comes from the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2012 Miller v. Alabama ruling that mandatory life sentences without the possibility of parole are unconstitutional for someone who committed the crime when under the age of 18. The Michigan Supreme Court has since extended it for those who committed the crime at age 20 or younger.
The expert witness cited in the appeal, Dr. Colin King, PhD. is a forensic psychologist who testified during Crumbley’s pre-sentencing Miller hearing in 2023. King told the court that Crumbley is plagued with psychosis and other mental illnesses, and that his brain won’t reach full maturity for another 10 years or so — leaving a distinct possibility for rehabilitation.
Ethan Crumbley (MDOC 2023 image)
In response to the MSC’s decision, Crumbley’s attorney, Jaqueline Ouvry with the State Appellate Defender Office, issued this statement:
“In October of 2022, 16-year-old Ethan Crumbley pleaded guilty to all charges against him and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. That plea waived his appellate rights. Had Ethan gone to trial instead, he would have been entitled to a direct appeal as a matter of right. Because he pleaded guilty, his meritorious legal issues have never received thorough appellate review. Today’s decision matters because it’s an opportunity for the court to dig into questions that, until now, have largely gone unexamined.
We’re encouraged that the Court of Appeals will take a closer look at the issues in Ethan’s case. This means more briefing and oral argument in the months ahead, and we welcome the chance to make our case in full.”
Crumbley, 20, was 15 years old when he opened fire at Oxford High School on Nov. 30, 2021, killing four students and shooting seven others. He pleaded guilty to all 24 crimes he was charged with, including four counts of first-degree murder, terrorism, multiple counts of assault with intent to murder and weapons offenses.
In late 2024, Oakland County Circuit Judge Kwame Rowe rejected Crumbley’s attempt to withdraw his guilty plea and claims of an invalid sentence. That was appealed and rejected by the COA in 2025 for lack of merit. The case then landed in the MSC.
Crumbley is incarcerated at Oaks Correctional Facility in Manistee. His parents, James Crumbley and Jennifer Crumbley, are serving sentences of 10-15 years in prison for not adequately locking up the firearm used in the mass shooting and for not addressing their son’s mental issues. They were each convicted in 2024 of four counts of involuntary manslaughter.