愛污传媒

World

    • Prosecutor urges life sentence for Michigan shooter who killed 4 students

    Buck Myre, left, and Sheri Myre parents of slain son Tate Myre, listen to testimony as their son's killer, Ethan Crumbley appears in the Oakland County courtroom of Kwame Rowe, on Friday, Aug. 18, 2023, in Pontiac, Mich. The judge will hear a fourth and final day of testimony Friday to determine whether Crumbley will get a life sentence for the fatal shooting of four students at a Michigan school in 2021. (Mandi Wright/Detroit Free Press via AP, Pool) Buck Myre, left, and Sheri Myre parents of slain son Tate Myre, listen to testimony as their son's killer, Ethan Crumbley appears in the Oakland County courtroom of Kwame Rowe, on Friday, Aug. 18, 2023, in Pontiac, Mich. The judge will hear a fourth and final day of testimony Friday to determine whether Crumbley will get a life sentence for the fatal shooting of four students at a Michigan school in 2021. (Mandi Wright/Detroit Free Press via AP, Pool)
    Share
    PONTIAC, Mich. -

    A prosecutor urged a judge Friday to impose a life sentence on the teenager who killed four students at his Michigan school, arguing that his methodical planning and "appetite for violence" should keep him locked up forever.

    "He only stopped because there was no one left to shoot. Those kids were trained to go into lockdown and they did," Karen McDonald said.

    "There were hundreds of kids in that building who wrote and texted their parents very similar things: `There's a shooter. I'm scared. I love you.' ... They were helpless -- like the birds," McDonald said, referring to evidence that the shooter liked to torture birds.

    Her final remarks came at the close of a tense four-day hearing that will determine whether Ethan Crumbley, 17, gets a life sentence for the attack at Oxford High School or a shorter term that would some day make him eligible for parole.

    Because of the shooter's age -- 15 at the time -- Oakland County Judge Kwame Rowe must look at his maturity, mental health, tumultuous family life and other factors set by the U.S. Supreme Court. A life sentence for a minor would be rare, and the burden is on the prosecutor to show that it fits.

    Crumbley pleaded guilty to murder, terrorism and other crimes. If Rowe doesn't choose a life term, the shooter would face a minimum prison sentence between 25 years and 40 years.

    "Even if the defendant changes, and he finds some peace and some meaning in his life beyond torturing and killing, does not mean that he ever gets the right to live free among us," McDonald said.

    The judge will announce a decision about a life sentence on Sept. 29, followed by the actual sentencing on Dec. 8.

    The last witness was Dr. Lisa Anacker, a psychiatrist who evaluated the shooter at a state psychiatric hospital. She said he was not mentally ill at the time of the shooting, under a strict standard set in Michigan law.

    Anacker said he communicated clearly with police after surrendering, followed commands and showed no signs of bizarre behavior.

    Crumbley's lawyers have argued that he was in a devastating spiral by fall 2021 after being deeply neglected by his parents, who bought a gun and took him to a shooting range to try it.

    A psychologist, Colin King, testified on Aug. 1 that the teen was like a "feral child" because of his home life and mentally ill by the time of the shooting.

    "Ethan was at his breaking point and no one stepped in," defense attorney Paulette Michel Loftin told the judge. "Ethan had quit the bowling team. He had quit his job. He was failing almost every single subject. He sat alone at lunch. His only and trusted friend left.

    "His dog died," Loftin added. "He was hallucinating. He was hearing voices. He was depressed. He was suicidal."

    She referred to a disturbing drawing discovered by a teacher hours before the shooting. It included a bloody body and a gun pointing at the words, "The thoughts won't stop. Help me." The teen was allowed to stay in school.

    "The prosecutor was right: He didn't come out and tell the counselor his plan. But did he have to? Wasn't it glaringly obvious?" Loftin said.

    Still, she said, "his sick brain can be repaired."

    More than 40 people filled the courtroom, including family members of victims who cried as the prosecutor recalled the shooting in great detail and offered the exact time of deaths.

    McDonald repeatedly quoted passages from the shooter's journal about his desire to watch students suffer and the likelihood that he would spend his life in prison.

    She said Crumbley spent much time planning the attack, even sticking toilet paper in his ears to block the sound of 32 gunshots. McDonald noted that he had looked for an online map of the school, learned that Michigan has no death penalty and checked which prison is designated for teens.

    "He took pleasure in his appetite for violence, even acknowledging it was wrong by making comments such as, 'I love the darkness. It feels good,"' the prosecutor said.

    The shooter's parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, are separately charged with involuntary manslaughter. They are accused of making a gun accessible at home and ignoring his mental health.

    Buck Myre, the father of slain student Tate Myre, said prosecutors showed that the shooter deserves a life sentence. But he's also upset with the school district over an "epic systematic failure" to figure out that the teen was in crisis before the shooting.

    "Life without parole or 50 years -- it doesn't bring the kids home," Myre told reporters. "It doesn't bring any accountability to what we believe needs to be a huge systematic change."

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    BREAKING

    BREAKING

    Montreal police say four teenagers suffered stab wounds after an altercation near John F. Kennedy High School in the city's Villeray鈥擲aint-Michel鈥擯arc-Extension borough on Thursday.

    The Maritime Sikh Society says the body of a young employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax last weekend was found by her mother.

    Four people are dead and another is in hospital after a Tesla driving through downtown Toronto at a high rate of speed crashed into a guardrail and struck a concrete pillar on Lake Shore Boulevard.

    It's a dream for many Canadians, trying to save up enough money for a down payment on their very first home. That was also the dream for the Esmeralda family, a family of five with two dogs who currently live in a Scarborough apartment building.

    The RCMP is warning residents in northeast Saskatchewan to seek shelter and avoid picking up hitchhikers as police search for a group of armed and dangerous suspects.

    Canada

    • The Maritime Sikh Society says the body of a young employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax last weekend was found by her mother.

    • BREAKING

      BREAKING

      Montreal police say four teenagers suffered stab wounds after an altercation near John F. Kennedy High School in the city's Villeray鈥擲aint-Michel鈥擯arc-Extension borough on Thursday.

    • The RCMP is warning residents in northeast Saskatchewan to seek shelter and avoid picking up hitchhikers as police search for a group of armed and dangerous suspects.

    • Four people are dead and another is in hospital after a Tesla driving through downtown Toronto at a high rate of speed crashed into a guardrail and struck a concrete pillar on Lake Shore Boulevard.

    • Another local homeowner says trees owned by the City of Regina have caused damaged to his property for years and has resulted in tens of thousands of dollars spent from his own pocket.

    • BREAKING

      BREAKING

      Emergency crews responded to a call for a stabbing at Paul Landry Park on Uplands Drive, between Paul Anka Drive and Bennett Street, at 11:25 a.m. Thursday.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    • Vancouver Fire Rescue Services received its first shipment of new firefighting gear on Wednesday, advancing the department's plans to reduce cancer risk for its members.

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    • A Toronto man who only recently checked a Lotto 6/49 lottery ticket he bought back in June is now $2.5 million richer.

    • A new resident at a Manitoba animal rescue has waddled her way into people's hearts.

    Sports

    • Chris Boucher was back, for at least one game. The veteran forward spent most of last season at the far end of the Toronto Raptors' bench, rarely seeing playing time.

    • Hundreds of people ran to the music of German composer and pianist Beethoven Wednesday night in a unique race in Halifax.

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    A new resident at a Manitoba animal rescue has waddled her way into people's hearts.

    Hundreds of people ran to the music of German composer and pianist Beethoven Wednesday night in a unique race in Halifax.

    He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

    A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

    Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

    A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.

    A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.

    A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.

    Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.

    • A 29-year-old man has been charged with arson and assault with a weapon after police were called last week to a fire in the Newton neighbourhood of Surrey, B.C.

    • Mics were cut and a recess was called after a Vancouver city councillor swore at her colleagues during a meeting Wednesday.

    • At least 1,749 people have died from toxic and unregulated drugs in British Columbia since the start of the year 鈥 a rate of more than six people per day, according to the latest data from the provincial coroner's office.

    • Four people are dead and another is in hospital after a Tesla driving through downtown Toronto at a high rate of speed crashed into a guardrail and struck a concrete pillar on Lake Shore Boulevard.

    • It's a dream for many Canadians, trying to save up enough money for a down payment on their very first home. That was also the dream for the Esmeralda family, a family of five with two dogs who currently live in a Scarborough apartment building.

    • A 30-year-old man is fighting for his life in hospital after a daylight shooting in North York Thursday.

    • A Calgary business owner is frustrated and looking for answers after Google removed his business' profile without warning, resulting in a loss of bookings and damage to his company鈥檚 reputation.

    • A town in southern Alberta will be one of the first to let golf carts be driven on select roads as part of a provincial pilot program.

    • A Calgary officer has been cleared of any wrongdoing in a September 2021 incident that involved shots being fired at a suspect in a stolen vehicle.

    • BREAKING

      BREAKING

      Emergency crews responded to a call for a stabbing at Paul Landry Park on Uplands Drive, between Paul Anka Drive and Bennett Street, at 11:25 a.m. Thursday.

    • Ottawa police are asking for the public鈥檚 help to identify a vehicle and its driver and passenger, as the investigation continues into a homicide late last month in Ottawa鈥檚 south end.

    • Quebec鈥檚 Bureau of Independent Investigations (BEI) is investigating after police in Gatineau, Que. shot and killed a man who allegedly stabbed an officer during an investigation.

    • BREAKING

      BREAKING

      Montreal police say four teenagers suffered stab wounds after an altercation near John F. Kennedy High School in the city's Villeray鈥擲aint-Michel鈥擯arc-Extension borough on Thursday.

    • An investigation into a climate of fear at a Montreal primary school has reignited a debate about secularism in Quebec's education system, with the provincial government pledging to consider new measures to keep religion out of classrooms.

    • The man who cut up the body of his grandson's mother is going to prison after the Alberta Court of Appeal overturned his previous sentence.

    • The Edmonton Police Service says there was a drug lab at a business where a sudden death happened earlier this week.

    • Some Edmonton public school support staff walked off the job Thursday morning, despite the province stepping in on Wednesday to prevent strike action.

    • The Maritime Sikh Society says the body of a young employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax last weekend was found by her mother.

    • WorkSafeNB is investigating after a man was killed in a workplace incident at a tire shop in Moncton, N.B., last week.

    • The Nova Scotia Liberals are accusing former member Fred Tilley of accessing party files one day before he crossed the aisle to join the Progressive Conservatives.

    • A Manitoba man who pleaded guilty to murdering his common-law partner and two children more than two years ago was sentenced Thursday.

    • The parents of an infant who was found to be malnourished and abused are facing charges.

    • A pair of councillors in the RM of Springfield plan on bringing forward a motion to opt out of Plan 20-50 when they are first able to.

    • The Regina Police Service (RPS) says it learned on Thursday that an officer responded to an incident at a Saskatchewan Party campaign office Monday evening and did not inform the service of their response.

    • Regina police says a reward of up to $50,000 is available for information that leads to the arrest of Daniel 'Juma' Drie Atem, who officers say is responsible for a murder that occurred downtown in the summer of 2023.

    • Another local homeowner says trees owned by the City of Regina have caused damaged to his property for years and has resulted in tens of thousands of dollars spent from his own pocket.

    • Erick Buhr, the man charged with second-degree murder in the death of his grandmother, took the stand Thursday to testify in his own defense.

    • A provincial Crown attorney is arguing that a man who stabbed three people in a University of Waterloo gender studies class last year was motivated by hate, as his sentencing hearing continues.

    • The RCMP is warning residents in northeast Saskatchewan to seek shelter and avoid picking up hitchhikers as police search for a group of armed and dangerous suspects.

    • Saskatoon police are investigating a series of suspicious fires that were lit in the Mayfair neighbourhood on Thursday morning.

    • Federal housing minister Sean Fraser says he鈥檚 going to work directly with the cities of Saskatoon and Regina to tackle homeless encampments, after the province ignored his funding offer last month.

    • The Sudbury - Manitoulin area is seeing reports of increased infections and community exposures of pertussis, also known as whooping cough.

    • The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

    • A 72-year-old driver was charged Wednesday with following two closely after a five-vehicle crash sent several people to hospital in Parry Sound.

    • Around 11:40 p.m. on Oct. 19, police said a driver picked up a man in the downtown core but when he got in the vehicle, the passenger made derogatory comments towards the driver.

    • Ineos Styrolution will not restart production at its Sarnia plant. The chemical company has been shut down since April after the nearby First Nation reported members getting sick from elevated benzene levels.

    • A ceremony was held inside council chambers Thursday morning, honouring London鈥檚 mayor with the first poppy of this year鈥檚 campaign.

    • Emergency crews were called to attend a fire that broke out in a grassy area in Barrie on Thursday morning.

    • A haunted house in the Ontario Town of Innisfil is causing a real scare for some people a week before Halloween.

    • A power outage left thousands of Barrie residents in the dark on Wednesday night.

    • The drilling, part of the investigation into the 2021 Wheatley explosion, has come to an end. Community members will now see the drilling rig moved from downtown.

    • Members of Unifor Local 2458 at Clear Medical Imaging are preparing for a possible strike, as the deadline looms Thursday night.

    • Emergency services are on scene of a fire at a fourplex on St. Luke Road in Windsor.

    • At least 1,749 people have died from toxic and unregulated drugs in British Columbia since the start of the year 鈥 a rate of more than six people per day, according to the latest data from the provincial coroner's office.

    • A 29-year-old man has been charged with arson and assault with a weapon after police were called last week to a fire in the Newton neighbourhood of Surrey, B.C.

    • Legend has it that on a dark evening in 1988, friends of Supt. Joe Atherton quietly buried his body on the site of the old provincial RCMP headquarters in Vancouver.

    • Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.

    • A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.

    • Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.

    • A town in southern Alberta will be one of the first to let golf carts be driven on select roads as part of a provincial pilot program.

    • A Lethbridge recovery centre, tasked with helping residents struggling with addictions, is celebrating its first year of success in the community.

    • Graduate students looking to become mental-health professionals will have more opportunities to study in the University of Lethbridge鈥檚 Master of Education Counselling Psychology program.

    • Police seized drugs, $70,000 and a large gold chain in a drug trafficking bust earlier this month in Thunder Bay.

    • An annual event held in Sault Ste. Marie is back for the 29th year to ensure local kids get the winter clothing they need as the temperature dips.

    • The lack of 24-hour public washrooms has been a long-standing issue in the Sault, especially considering the rise in homelessness.

    N.L.

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at 愛污传媒. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop.聽Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 愛污传媒