Crumbley Convictions Could Signal Expanding Parental Liability for Mass Shootings

James and Jennifer Crumbley are set to be sentenced next month after separate juries convicted them of involuntary manslaughter for failing to prevent their son from killing four classmates in a 2021 mass shooting at a Michigan high school. The Crumbleys’ convictions mark the first time in U.S. legal history that the parents of a school shooter have been found criminally liable for their child’s actions. Some legal analysts say the highly specific facts of the case mark it as an outlier. But others say it could set precedent for parental liability — for gun crimes and beyond. We’ll talk about the verdicts and their potential ramifications.

Guests:
Erik Ortiz, senior reporter focusing on racial injustice and social inequality, NBC News
Ekow Yankah, professor of law and of philosophy and associate dean, University of Michigan
Anthony Portantino, state senator, 25th district in Southern California -he authored Senate Bill 53, which would expand existing firearm safe storage laws. Senator Portantino authored California’s safe storage law in 2019