Jennifer Crumbley (DOC photo)
The court battle with Jennifer Crumbley, mother of Oxford High School shooter Ethan Crumbley, seems far from over. Crumbley, who is serving a 10- to 15-year sentence for involuntary manslaughter in her son's mass shooting, is fighting for a new trial.
But there's more to the story.
On Tuesday, Oakland County Circuit Judge Cheryl Matthews sanctioned her attorney for requesting the removal of Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald from the case, the Detroit Free Press reports. It goes without saying that the judge denied the request for removal.
Freep reporter Tresa Baldas writes:
In her 8-page order issued Tuesday, Oakland County Circuit Judge Cheryl Matthews wrote that she "clearly does not have jurisdiction" to decide whether McDonald should be disqualified from the case. Moreover, she concluded that appellate attorney Michael Dezsi's request to remove McDonald "was filed for an improper purpose" and therefore warrants sanctioning Dezsi, who is representing Jennifer Crumbley in her appeal for a new trial, or to have her conviction vacated.
While Matthews has not yet ruled on Crumbley's appeal, she sanctioned Dezsi in the following way: He will not be reimbursed the money he spent preparing and filing the motion to disqualify McDonald.
In a statement Tuesday, Dezsi said he "strongly" disagrees with the judge's conclusion that she doesn't have jurisdiction to decide whether McDonald should be removed from the case, and plans to appeal her decision.
