Lawyer Reacts: Jennifer Crumbly Cross + A First Person Closing Argument like I’ve NEVER Heard Before

47 thoughts on “Lawyer Reacts: Jennifer Crumbly Cross + A First Person Closing Argument like I’ve NEVER Heard Before”

1. This shows the Crumbley prosecutors at Ethan's hearing producing psychiatric expert testimony that Ethan was not mentally ill. How can they prosecute his parents for not seeing mental health issues and getting Ethan treatment?
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eza3z_QWZeo

2. On the argument on if she took him home that day and maybe he would have just done the shooting on another day: No. It’s not that she just should have taken him home that day. She should have taken him home and THEN immediately looked for all their guns to get them immediately out of the house. I have no idea what the jury will decide. If they convict, I think it’s almost certain she’ll win a successful appeal. If they acquit, she’ll have spent two years incarcerated because she and her husband are idiots who ran to Detroit. And about judging she’s a bad parent, yep … I’m gonna do it. I don’t care. She and her husband are bad parents. They ruined their kid and four other sets of parents lost their children because of it. So if she’s “not guilty” of a crime, but still spent two years (or longer if convicted then wins after appeal) incarcerated, I’m not going to cry it was unfair. And I know this is about the law; there are interesting legal arguments here. But whatever, I’m glad the parents were indicted for this. I’m not of this mindset that suddenly parents everywhere are going to face legal consequences for everything their offspring do like in Smith’s icky child pornography hypothetical.

3. Brilliant closing argument from Shannon Smith IMO. I like her and I’m not convinced that Jennifer is guilty. Thanks for your commentary Peter, I’m usually a silent watcher. 😊

4. I honestly feel like this entire case is a cement roof sitting on straw stilts. There is so much insinuation that she should have taken action A – F and this shooting wouldn’t have happened, but we are talking about a very delicate and volatile situation. Jennifer Crumbly could have done any number of things differently, and Ethan might have been less determined to commit the shooting, or maybe he would have been twice as determined.

   For example;
   1) She should have spent more time with him: you cannot force yourself on someone who is sad/depressed. As someone who has struggled with depression, nothing irritates ppl more than family members watching them like a disturbed patient in a psych ward.
   2) She should have told the school that they got him a gun he can only use at the range under supervision – OK, maybe she would have mentioned the gun if the staff had made her aware of all their prior concerns about Ethan immediately at the time they occurred. Maybe if the school had been more firm and made their concerns aware to the parents earlier on, he would have gotten the therapy and counseling he so badly needed.

   3) The parents should have never given him a gun or taken him to the shooting range – tell me how many times a student has committed a school shooting using their own personal gun?

   The prosecution tried so hard to demonize this woman by exposing all her personal life, things completely irrelevant to Ethan, as if we should be appalled she had her own interests and hobbies too.
   All they did by playing her phone calls in jail and showing her texts with husband and BF is humanize her. She’s worried about gaining too much weight in prison, she’s worried about losing her horses, trying to find a way to pay for their monthly board since all her money is tied up in her own defense, she was doing her tax returns and trying to share a few lighthearted moments with her dad. All of that was wholesome stuff to me, a woman who’s just been through trauma trying to salvage some small piece of joy for her like after she’s lost everything. All the prosecution accomplished was making me feel bad for her.

5. She doesn't care about her kid. After this happened she tried to go on the run, didn't ask about him in prison calls, wanted him to testify for her and let her lawyer say those nasty things about him. If she had cared about him prior to the shooting she would have gotten him help. She should be found guilty.

6. I live very close to this area, within 20 minutes, have nephews at the same school, my kids dad worked accross the street where all the kids went after the shooting. They are absolutely running her through the mud, there is no case and I believe she's a victim too. The case should have been moved, they are and have been absolutely biased since the shooting happened to make an example and say "not in my town or on my watch". I think the prosecution is vile and this should never have been to trial, I think this is absolute injustice. I dont think ruining the parents lives are going to bring any joy or comfort to the parent's of the victims, they're just angry. I feel bad for them but this is insane. I love Shannon btw, I saw right what she was doin and cheered her on the entire time.

7. You have the sound speeded up so fast I can’t understand it. I know you want to fit it all in but it’s just too fast. It is irritating

8. When you are the one who buys the gun it is your responsibility to take care of the gun it is not registered in her name and she did not buy it James did

9. I actually think Shannon's strongest moment in her closing was comparing it to buying a phone for your teen and them sexting with it. Are you responsible for distributing "CP?" obviously not quite the same as killing 4 people, but an interesting point. This case is gonna set a precedent for parents being held liable, where is that line? As you say.

10. my question is if he had a sibling and used the gun and killed them would we still be questioning her guilt?

11. i wonder if when her son walked into their bedroom that night , was he contemplating offing his own parents ? She’s lucky he didn’t decide to kill her with that gun she gave him.

12. I think the prosecution totally dropped the ball here. This is THE case that will set a precedent one way or the other on whether parents should be held accountable for their child's heinous acts. But this case was nowhere near strong enough to make that claim and on top of it, the whole trial was a complete circus. It's a shame that it'll be used as a benchmark from now on 😢

13. Last one then i will hop off my soapbox- if this were a woman's channel, esp a very openly married woman with young children…who runs a serious educational channel like literally life and death type stuff and men were commenting about her appearance, calling her sexy…what would we be saying to those men? Those hypothetical inappropriate, gross men?
    What do we call it when someone is WORKING, doing their job and has to put up with unwanted flirtations and comments abput their appearance but doesnt shut it down because they want to keep things friendly for the sake of their job? I think theres a name for that 🤔

14. Peter made such good points about civil v criminal, I dont think people are understanding this…she CAN be held responsible, be punished (if having your child become a school shooter and being put on trial and losing everything as well as being publicly hated and harassed isnt enough for you) without being CRIMINALLY held responsible.

15. I don't think i saw them approach the bench even once. All the back and forth was sooo inappropriate. That, on top of Shannon Smith being completely incompetent basically means even if she is found guilty it'll be a mistrial or appealed or whatever. It's insane that the judge let this happen like this and never once raised her voice or got these attornies in line. She has no business being up there.

16. A guilty verdict is NOT going to push truly neglectful parents to be more vigilant.
    Most Mothers would never DREAM their precious baby is going MURDER other kids!!! Even a picture of gun wouldn't make most Mother's think OMG he's gonna kill people. It is sooo easy to be judgy. This is so ridiculous. I sent a text the other day that my daughter was depressed. I do NOT think she has mental health issues, I used that word to mean she's upset over a bad grade, I didn't mean clinical depression. I am also guilty of my daughter's room getting so messy I kicked her out and went HAM on that room and we never let that happen again, that was like 12 years ago. Lastly, that picture was HOURS before the shooting…when did they have time to make a mental health evaluation (note- I have a referral from a doctor for my son to see a pediatric mental health specialist and it's been 5 months now, we are still waiting…5 MONTHS! and I filled that form out the very day she gave it to me so what is this immediate action everyone is screaming about). I know I'm all over the place just livid and I'm so scared for J.C. because it IS so very easy to get judgey especially about parenting, other Mothers are viscious to each other, every Mom they think they know best. I appreciate SS making herself vulnerable, I am JC, I am SS- single parent 3 kids and a f&king mess.
    SNS, injustice makes me so angry. Children DIED here and someone needs to pay, showing the video was so very prejudicial because it just punches you in the gut and as a caring human being you want someone to pay. School shootings happen so much we all want some solution and this panic to find a solution is the beginning of a witch hunt.

17. Already complained about the sped up version. Tried changing the speed but then it’s annoying to hear your comments sounding drunk. So…So I’m unsubscribing. Buh bye.

18. Hi I’ve been watching your channel and I really like how you explain the cases. Could you please comment and explain how this is fair to the victim in the WI Slenderman Case? Because I don’t think my state and Waukesha county court is being fair. Here is the link. https://youtu.be/8gM_1EE0xV4?si=xjzZ29kKzpDgV0on
    Thank you so much

19. Also, the school could have suspended the boy from school the day they found the violent drawing and had concerns! Put the school principal, vice principal, counselor on trial!

20. Hey, my sister and I were latch key kids. Both parents worked long hours. We were on our own after school from 9 and 11 years old. We had rules and respected our parents. We weren't perfect, but we did follow the rules for the most part. I don't think the parents should be on trial.

21. NOT Guilty!

22. I think this whole trial is terrible. Be very careful people. This is a VERY slippery slope!

23. The defense attorney is simply a mess and sounds like a spoiled brat.

24. If I was Jennifer I think I would have offed myself as a single mom to sons

25. She was a bad mom for not making the spoiled brat keep his room clean Ethan had a secret and a plan very manipulative the feel sorry for me crap he knew right from wrong so did the dad

26. My questions are this 1) Was he of legal age to own this gun 2) If yes to #1 then would he pass the mental aptitude test to own a gun that gun shops must give?

27. I think getting into her affair and the adult sex app are relevant b/c she's clearly throwing the husband under the bus. Her actions speak to the lack of respect and loyalty she has for her husband–if she could do all of that, she would have no problem using him as a scapegoat.

28. BTW I have 4 kids all in their 40s now

29. Prosecutor wanted to completely degrade Jennifer Crumbley with the affair questions and the jail calls about calories. Completely unnecessary. I really think BOTH sides are questionable! I don’t think the state belittling the defendant wasn’t a good look. And all his condescending comments to Shannon. I say this bc there’s so much focus on Shannon and not enough on him!! I think her closing was also more effective!

30. Wow she did speak of herself alot!!!… she talk
    Way to much about her kids to me, J/S Why did the judge not speak up???

31. I don't like the defense lawyer, but, her closing argument was very relatable. I am a parent and I think if the jury finds it reliable too it was brilliant

32. Please explain how to slow down the speaker’s voice at trial?

33. Who thinks Dad might be found opposite or same verdict? Or totally depends on jury—I guess severing cases could be lessons learned by prosecutors. I think mistake by defendants.

34. Does anyone else think the judge became angry during the defense closing arguments?

35. The judge was too lenient. Initially I was concerned about Shannon, but she sort of won me over because she's actually very relatable in a disarming way.

36. What grade is he in because his hand writing looks likes he needed help and that would have been one more adult to maybe care and do a check and care. OT are fabulous.

37. Guilty

38. My son has PTSD, anxiety and random depression from an assault when he was 3. I also have complex PTSD from childhood and the assault. And I don’t squeeze my son to my hip like a magnet. He is 13 now and fabulous 💜 apparently a normal 6th grader that’s in advanced classes, even though I panic to the teachers think oh goodness what’s this I hear or what’s up with grade should I be concerned. The teachers says no that he is an amazing student and they wish they had a few more of my sons. 💜

39. She's not guilty, my opinion— she may not be a super mom— but, did she know or even have a clue the son would shot people NO!!!

40. And the judge did nothing!!

41. This case is the rich and powerful of Oakland county wanting more flesh for a tragedy. Exploiting the vulnerable and saying not in my house. Watched quite a bit and live an hour north of Oxford. Worse county in the state for the defendant. Only one that would've tried her and made her languish in jail for two years untried on half a million bail. This case, this bail and a guilty verdict would all be tragic and wrong.

42. Not guilty as charged if guilty time served James as the gun owner Ethan as the shooter are the guilty ones let this mom go

43. I understand your hesitancy for this case to draw the line on where a parent's burden lies, but I think that line needs to exist in general. As someone who grew up with severe depression and anxiety and constantly asked my parents for MH care and was denied, they absolutely should have had that obligation.

44. Yes.😊😊

45. The prosecution lawyer at the end used all her anger at Shannon to squeeze out some tears for her dramatic ending. 😅😢😂

46. SS did say only other witnesses today were JC’s parents. I also think she studied Parkland trial strategy, in comparison to Nicholas Cruz’s 2 mothers, Jennifer Crumbley was Mary Poppins. NC purchased his own gun, red state problem.

47. As a parent of teenagers I'm surprised that it wasn't brought up that teenagers fein MH issues when they have friends with depression, anxiety and other MH issues. EC having a friend that was obviously suffering with ocd and likely discussing it with him in my mind would push him to try and commiserate with him and like lots of teenagers try fit in no matter what that means

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