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Day 2 of James Crumbley's trial wraps up, testimony resumes Monday

Posted at 6:13 AM, Mar 08, 2024
and last updated 2024-03-08 18:17:14-05

Day two of the testimony in the trial for James Crumbley lasted for several hours Friday in Oakland County Circuit Court.

James, the father of the Oxford High School shooter, is charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter.

On Thursday, both the prosecution and defense made their opening statements, and the first witnesses took the stand. We heard from a teacher at the school who was shot, and a computer crimes expert who worked with the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.

Ed Wagrowski, the computer crimes expert, re-took the stand on Friday morning and was cross-examined by James' defense attorney, Mariell Lehman.

Cross-examination of Ed Wagrowski in the James Crumbley trial

During the cross-examination, Wagrowski was asked about the context of the shooter's text messages they had previously gone through.

Next on the stand was Robert Koteles, who works in the forensic lab at the Oakland County Sheriff's Office. He went through the crime scene and discussed the investigation at the high school following the shooting.

Crime scene investigator testifies about Oxford shooting at James Crumbley trial

The fourth person to take the stand for the prosecution was Cammy Back, who works as an office manager at the gun store where James bought the weapon the shooter used in the crime. Back was the one who sold the gun to James.

Woman who works at gun shop & sold the gun testifies at James Crumbley's trial

After lunch, the next person to take the stand in the trial for James Crumbley was Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Detective Sgt. Joe Brian with the special investigations unit.

Brian was among the first to speak with James and Jennifer Crumbley around 2 p.m. on the day of the shooting. They played video from inside the interview room where the detectives asked questions about their son and what happened during the day before the shooting.

Man who interviewed James & Jennifer Crumbley testifies at James' trial

Watch highlights from day one below

Trial underway for James Crumbley, father of Oxford High School shooter

We're also learning that James has lost access to the telephone while being behind bars.

The Oakland County Sheriff's Office said James made threatening statements on the phone and in electronic messages. His communication has been restricted to just his attorney.

“That nightmare was preventable and it was foreseeable,” Assistant Prosecutor Marc Keast told the jury.

Prosecution gives opening statement in trial for James Crumbley

“James Crumbley was not aware that his son had access to that firearm,” defense attorney Mariell Lehman told the jury.

Defense attorney Mariell Lehman gives opening statement in James Crumbley trial

After the opening statements, Mollly Darnell, who was shot during the shooting, took the stand.

Molly Darnell, teacher who was shot at Oxford High School, testifies at James Crumbley's trial

"I lock eyes with this person and I see some movement coming from the side of him and I realize that's he's raising a gun to me," she said.

The prosecutors also called a detective who was previously with the computer crimes unit of the Oakland County Sheriff's Office in November 2021 when thee shooting happened.

The detective took jurors through texts between James and his wife, Jennifer, in the days leading up to the shooting.

Jurors also saw video of the Crumbleys arriving to the high school after learning the shooter made disturbing drawings on a math assignment and heard audio of a 911 call made by James after the alert of an active shooter went out.