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Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald (Photo: Rebecca Cook)
Legal fists are flying in the case of Jennifer Crumbley, who is serving 10–15 years for involuntary manslaughter in connection with the 2021 mass shooting at Oxford High School involving her son, Ethan.
On Wednesday, Crumbley's appellate attorney, Michael Dezsi, filed a motion asking a judge to remove the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office from the case, alleging it crossed multiple ethical and legal lines. He is also requesting a new trial.
That same day, Prosecutor Karen McDonald fired back, insisting in court papers that Dezsi be sanctioned, arguing that he crossed ethical and legal lines when claiming that she and her office should be removed from the case, reports Tresa Baldas of the Detroit Free Press. She says his allegations are meritless.
“(I)t is clear that defendant’s motion was filed for the purpose of generating headlines and a ‘smear campaign,’ which ironically is something defendant accuses the prosecution of doing,” Assistant Oakland County Prosecutor Marc Keast wrote in the filing, according to the Freep. “Sanctions are appropriate given the improper purpose of this motion.”
Appellate attorney Dezsi asked that McDonald and her office be removed from the case on several grounds, according to the Freep, including allegations that she:
Withheld confidential agreements with two key school witnesses from the defense during Jennifer Crumbley's trial.
Hired high-priced public relations firms to help run a "smear campaign" against James and Jennifer Crumbley.
