Father of school gunman convicted of manslaughter

The father of a Michigan school shooter who killed four students has been convicted of manslaughter.

The trial heard that James Crumbley, 47, had ignored his 15-year-old son's mental health needs and bought him the handgun he used in the November 2021 attack.

The jury deliberated for just over a day before coming to the verdict.

Jennifer Crumbley, his wife, is due to be sentenced next month after being convicted on the same charges.

Crumbley was in court for the verdict and appeared to show little reaction as it was read out.

The case against the Crumbleys marks the first time parents have been charged with manslaughter over their child's role in a shooting in the US.

Their son, Ethan, killed fellow students Tate Myre, 16; Hana St Juliana, 14; Madisyn Baldwin, 17, and Justin Shilling, 17. He is serving a sentence of life in prison without parole.

In her closing arguments to the jury of six men and six women earlier this week, prosecutor Karen McDonald called the attack at the Oxford High School "preventable and foreseeable".

She added that Crumbley's alleged actions were "rare and egregious".

He did not take even the slightest measures to ensure his son was not a threat after giving him a semi-automatic pistol as a gift, said the prosecutor.

His defence lawyer, Mariell Lehman, argued that "James had no idea that his son was having a hard time".

Crumbley did not testify, unlike his wife, who took the stand during her trial and tried to blame her husband. She faces up to 60 years in prison.

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