Are the Parents of the Michigan School Shooter Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter?

James and Jennifer Crumbley, the parents of the teenager charged with fatally shooting four students and injuring seven others at Oxford High School in Michigan last month, appeared in court yesterday for a probable cause conference. The Crumbleys, who bought their 15-year-old son, Ethan, the handgun he allegedly used in the deadly attack, each face four involuntary manslaughter charges—a highly unusual attempt to hold parents criminally responsible for a school shooting. Although prosecutors cite substantial evidence indicating that the defendants were negligent, it is not at all clear that their conduct satisfies the elements of involuntary manslaughter. The charges, which are punishable by up to 15 years in prison, look like an attempt to prosecute the couple for actions that are not crimes under Michigan law.