Trial of James Crumbley, father of Oxford High School shooter, continues with second day of testimony
(CBS DETROIT) - The trial for James Crumbley, the father of the Oxford High School shooter, continued Friday in an Oakland County court with the second day of testimony.
The second day of testimony began with the cross-examination of Edward Wagrowski, a former detective and computer crimes analyst for the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.
Wagrowski was the second witness to testify Thursday. He spent 28 years with the sheriff's office, including 10 with the computer crimes unit.
Wagrowski now works for the U.S. Secret Service and went to Oxford High School on the day of the shooting. He was responsible for viewing footage from more than 100 cameras in the high school.
Forensic lab supervisor testifies about finding the murder weapon
Robert Koteles, a latent print supervisor and in-field crime scene supervisor with the Oakland County Sheriff's Office forensic lab, was the first witness called by the prosecution Friday. He is a 17-year veteran of the sheriff's office.
Before joining the sheriff's office, Koteles was a crime scene investigator with the Pontiac Police Department for nearly nine years.
When Koteles arrived at the high school on the day of the shooting, he was responsible for locating the firearm the shooter used in the shooting and processing the crime scene, which was contained to one wing of the high school.
Koteles discussed his five-page crime scene report and said investigators found 14 fired cartridges in one hallway in the 200 Wing and an additional 18 fired cartridges in another portion of the wing.
Koteles testified that the shooter had fired into several classrooms and had fired the weapon 32 times inside the high school. Investigators recovered 18 unfired rounds.
Cammy Back, the office manager of a federally licensed firearms store in Oxford where James Crumbley purchased the gun that was used in the shooting, testified second on Friday. Back testified to selling James Crumbley the firearm on Nov. 26, 2021.
Joe Brian, a detective sergeant with Oakland County Sheriff's Office special investigations unit, testified Friday afternoon following a lunch break in the court. Brian has worked with the sheriff's office for 29 years and with the special investigations unit since 2011. He previously ran the department's computer crimes unit.
Brian was assigned to assist in the investigation of the shooting. During his testimony, a video was played of Brian and his now-retired partner interviewing James and Jennifer Crumbley after the shooting on Nov. 30, 2021.
Oxford assistant principal testifies about encountering the shooter
Oxford High School assistant principal Kristy Gibson-Marshall was the fourth witness to testify Friday. Gibson-Marshall was also the shooter's elementary school principal.
Gibson-Marshall testified that she encountered the shooter in a hallway and spoke to the shooter. She said that he looked away from her. It was at that point that Gibson-Marshall said she knew he was the shooter because he would have spoken to her. Gibson-Marshall also encountered Tate Myre after he was shot and attempted to resuscitate him.
Testimony on Friday concluded midafternoon after the prosecution essentially ran out of witnesses they had scheduled to testify on Friday. Judge Cheryl Matthews said the trial is running ahead of schedule.
The third day of testimony resumes at 9 a.m. Monday, March 11.
Late Thursday evening, the Oakland County Sheriff's Office confirmed that James Crumbley made threatening phone calls while in the Oakland County Jail. James Crumbley's access to a phone and electronic messaging has now been limited to his lawyer. The sheriff's office did not go into detail about the alleged statements.
The defense and the prosecution delivered their opening statements Thursday, and both were focused on the action James Crumbley took as a father before the November 2021 shooting.
On Thursday, the prosecution called two witnesses to the stand. Molly Darnell was the first to testify Thursday. Darnell has worked as an educator with Oxford Community Schools since 1998 and previously testified during the shooter's Miller hearing in the summer of 2023 and at Jennifer Crumbley's trial in January.
Darnell was shot once by the shooter through a closed classroom door, with the bullet exiting her left arm.
Jury selection began Tuesday morning and concluded midafternoon on Wednesday, with a 15-person, all-white jury comprised of nine women and six men selected. The jury is made up of a majority of parents who have dealt with mental health issues, and six jurors are gun owners.
James Crumbley's trial comes on the heels of Jennifer Crumbley, the mother of the shooter, who was found guilty of four counts of involuntary manslaughter in February. She is scheduled to be sentenced on April 9.
READ: Two witnesses testify on first day in trial of James Crumbley, father of Oxford High School shooter
James Crumbley is charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter. Prosecutors accuse James Crumbley of purchasing the gun that was used in the shooting for his son and not getting his son the treatment he needed for his mental health struggles despite his requests for help.
James and Jennifer Crumbley were charged in the Oxford High School shooting where their son killed four students, Justin Shilling, Madisyn Baldwin, Tate Myre, and Hana St. Juliana, and injured seven other people on Nov. 30, 2021.
The shooter was sentenced in December 2023 to life in prison without parole.
CBS News Detroit will stream live coverage of the trial each day, beginning at 9 a.m.
