Ethan Crumbley, 15, who is accused of killing four students and wounding seven others during a shooting rampage at Oxford High School in Michigan, has been appointed an attorney by the court while his parents hired a high-profile legal team, The Independent reports.
According to reports, defense attorney Paulette Michel Loftin said that she was appointed at the request of the teen because he could not afford to hire his own attorney.
James and Jennifer Crumbley hired Shannon Smith and Mariell Lehman even before they were charged by prosectors with four counts of involuntary manslaughter. The couple is accused of ignoring warning signs that their son intended to carry out harm. They also reportedly bought the handgun their son used in the shooting as a Christmas gift.
This weekend, the couple were reported as fugitives, and were later found hiding on the first floor of a Detroit commercial building after police received a tip that their vehicle was parked nearby.
The Independent’s report suggests that the parents didn’t pay for their son’s defense because they’re trying to distance themselves from his case.
