Judge fines Oxford shooter's mom's attorney $1,600 for filing 'improper' motion

Kara Berg, The Detroit News on Jun 9, 2025

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DETROIT — An Oakland County judge has fined Jennifer Crumbley's appeals attorney more than $1,600 for filing what she called an improper and redundant motion to disqualify the Oakland County prosecutor from Crumbley's case.

Judge Cheryl Matthews ruled in April that the motion was filed for an improper purpose because she did not have the jurisdiction to decide on it, and it duplicated a previous motion, making it unnecessary and redundant. She did not give a sanctions amount in April, but waited until Monday to do so.

Matthews fined Crumbley's appeals attorney, Michael Dezsi, $1,657 for filing the motion, which she said was the cost he was reimbursed for filing it. He must pay the fine by July 14.

A jury convicted Crumbley of four counts of involuntary manslaughter in February 2024 after her son, Ethan Crumbley, fatally shot four people at Oxford High School in November 2021. Jennifer Crumbley's conviction marked the first time in the U.S. a parent was convicted of manslaughter for a mass shooting carried out by his or her child. Matthews sentenced her to 10-15 years in prison.

A separate jury also convicted her husband, James, who received the same prison sentence.

In his motion, Dezsi asked to disqualify Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald from Crumbley's case because McDonald allegedly "cannot be trusted." He said McDonald had "violated the Court Rules, entered into secret agreements with two star prosecution witnesses, and has unethically engaged two public relations firms to run a smear campaign against the Crumbleys in an effort to sway public opinion and taint the jury pool."

McDonald called these claims "meritless" and said the request was improper. She said the only motivation for the request was to generate headlines and divert attention away from Crumbley's actions. Her office declined to comment Monday on Matthews' ruling on sanctions.

Dezsi appealed Matthews' ruling involving sanctions to the Michigan Court of Appeals, which has not yet ruled on it. He said the motion was filed in good faith and was supported by ample factual and legal grounds.

Jennifer Crumbley has filed multiple motions since her conviction last year, asking for a dismissal of her case or a new trial. She also has asked to be released from prison while her appeals are pending and for the prosecutor's office to be removed from the case.

Matthews denied most of Crumbley's motion for a new trial or dismissal of her case. The only matter she is mulling in the motion for a new trial or dismissal is the issue involving so-called proffer agreements, which she said was a discovery violation she found to be "very very concerning."

The proffer agreements that prosecutors made with Oxford High School counselor Shawn Hopkins and former Dean of Students Nick Ejak were not disclosed to the defense until after the trials. Both Hopkins and Ejak met with Ethan Crumbley and his parents the morning of the November 2021 shooting. The proffer agreements said prosecutors cannot use any statements made during an initial meeting to prove their guilt.

Prosecutors have maintained they had no legal duty to give the proffer agreements to the defense.

Crumbley first filed her request for a dismissal or new trial in December. Dezsi filed a complaint June 1 claiming Matthews is delaying Crumbley's right to appeal her conviction by not deciding on her motions for an acquittal, new trial or request for a bond in the required time. Judges are supposed to rule on motions within 56 days, though Matthews has said she wants to respond to James and Jennifer Crumbley's motions together.

Dezsi's filing with the Michigan Court of Appeals says the delay "constitutes a denial of Crumbley’s right to Due Process and, more importantly, denies her right to bond pending appeal ... ."

James Crumbley has also filed a motion for a new trial.

Four students were killed in the shooting at Oxford High School: Hana St. Juliana, 14; Justin Shilling, 17; Tate Myre, 16; and Madisyn Baldwin, 16.

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