PONTIAC, Mich. — The admitted Oxford school shooter was back in court Friday.
The closing argument from the Oakland County prosecutor asked Judge Kwame Rowe to "do both."
"We have to deal with the darkness and the violence, and we have to accept that it happened," said Karen McDonald. "We can also say, we wish [Ethan Crumbley] had a better upbringing, but we're not going to ignore facts."
On the fourth and final day of the pre-sentencing hearing, attorneys argued whether the convicted Oxford High School shooter deserved to spend life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Last fall, Crumbley pleaded guilty to 24 felonies, including first-degree murder and terrorism, for the deadly November 30, 2021 shooting.
But before the 17-year-old can receive a life sentence without parole, a 2012 U.S. Supreme Court ruling entitles him to a special hearing— often referred to as a "Miller" hearing— where a judge considers Crumbley's status as a minor before making a sentencing decision.
Friday morning, the prosecution called a psychiatrist to the witness stand.
"I understand it's very hard to imagine how someone who's sane can torture animals and can commit mass murder, but the fact remains that they are and they do," said Dr. Lisa Anacker.
In March of 2022, Dr. Anacker evaluated Crumbley, concluding he did not meet the state's legal definition for mental illness— characterized by "a substantial disorder of thought or mood."
"What we see in those videos is that the defendant was communicating clearly. He was calm and collected," said Dr. Anacker, referencing the teen's demeanor shortly after he shot and killed four of his classmates, and hurt seven others.
The psychiatrist's testimony contradicted that of another mental health professional— Dr. Colin King. Last month, he commented on videos of a bound Crumbley crying out in anguish: "God, why didn't you stop it?"
"That's exactly how psychosis works," Dr. King testified.
But despite the boy's childhood— including an attempted suicide the same year of the shooting— the prosecution says Crumbley made a choice.
"We can feel compassion." McDonald said. "But we can also fashion an appropriate sentence and reckon with the very severe, rare circumstances of this crime."
In a Sept. 29 hearing, Judge Kwame Rowe will announce his decision about a life term, and Crumbley will officially be sentenced on Dec. 8.
