James and Jennifer Crumbley
Anyone but Oakland County jurors.
That's what lawyers for the widely reviled parents of Oxford school shooter Ethan Crumbley are requesting of a judge to ensure their clients get a fair trial.
James and Jennifer Crumbley's attorneys sought a change of venue or jurors imported from elsewhere in a court filing late Monday.
They point to news copverage surrounding the case and number of people affected — 1,600 Oxford High students, 400 responders from 45 agencies, and all of their associates — in arguing an impartial jury will be virtually impossible to assemble.
The move would have precedent. The Free Press describes other high-profile trials that were moved or involved outside jurors:
... In the 2011 Florida trial of Casey Anthony, who was acquitted of murdering her 2-year-old daughter, the judge moved jurors to the trial location rather than moving the trial. Importing jurors is also cheaper than moving the case, the defense maintains, noting that it cost one California county about $18,500 to import jurors for the 38-day murder trial of Diana Haun, who was convicted of killing her lover's wife in 1997.
In comparison, the Rodney King trial, which was moved from Los Angeles County to Simi Valley, cost $250,000. And moving the 1996 California murder trial of Richard Allen Davis, who was convicted of killing 12-year-old Polly Klaas after kidnapping her from a slumber party, cost $687,000. It was moved from Sonoma County to Santa Clara County.
The Oakland County attorneys also add a sampling of online comments to show the Crumbleys have already been "clearly convicted in the court of public opinion" for their son's killing of four classmates and wounding of six others. From the Freep:
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“Capital punishment would be nice right about now” and “How about the death penalty”
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“(All) three belong in Guantanamo,” and “all three of them should save the taxpayers and off themselves.”
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“(They) should be put to sleep at midnight on pay per view for 49.95 and give half the money to the family, I would support!!!”
