On Monday, an attorney representing accused 15-year-old school shooter Ethan Crumbley argued that her client should be out of a county jail and into a juvenile detention facility even though he’s being tried as an adult, Law & Crime report. The defense attorney and Crumbley’s advocates expressed concerns that the accused murder can hear the adult prisoners in nearby cells, violating a federal statute. Additionally, they argued that Crumbley’s mental and emotional wellbeing might be harmed in that environment.
Attorney Paulette Loftin called the school shooting “one, isolated incident” and argued that Crumbley had never been in trouble before he allegedly murdered four students and wounded another six students and one teacher at Oxford High School on November 30th.
“I honestly do not believe that my client should be considered a menace to other juveniles,” Loftin said. “This is someone who has never been in trouble before. This is not someone who has a history of assaulting kids his age or any other negative contact with his peers.”
“I’m not sure that he is fully away from the sounds of the adult inmates, and pursuant to the court rule, basically — um — 6.909 — um — there really has to be an assessment that he is either considered a menace to other juveniles or cannot otherwise be safely be detained in a juvenile facility,” Deborah H. McKelvy, the guardian ad litem said. “I understand the severity of what occurred. I think everybody does, including Mr. Crumbley, but I don’t know simply indicating because the victims were of his age that he would necessarily be a menace.”
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McKelvy went on to argue that a move to the juvenile facility would benefit Crumbley’s “mental and emotional wellbeing.” She said that the teen was “not able to benefit fully” from county jail programs and would have “greater human contact and services” at the Children’s Village.
Prosecutors Kelly Collins and Marc Keast said that this case couldn’t be compared to others.
“This cannot be compared to any other case that this court or any court in this county has seen before,” Keast said. “Calling this an isolated incident, quite frankly, does not do it justice. This was a mass murder at a school, judge. This was planned. It was premeditated.”
According to the outlet, Judge Carniak said she considered Crumbley’s placement “appropriate,” however, she added that she has concerns about whether the teen was able to hear adult prisoners from his cell.
“I will make sure the defendant is neither in sight or sound with any other adult at the jail,” Keast promised the judge.
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You can read the full report here.
Featured image via screen capture
