January 7, 2022 - James and Jennifer's Motion to Reconsider bond amount.
It seems to have started mid argument unfortunately.
Defense attorneys claim that they have spoken to their clients about extramarital affairs.
Ethan's journal says "I have to find where dad hides the firearm."
Parents were unaware of Ethan's torture of a bird.
Asking to reduce bond to 100K cash or surety.
Prosecution Argument:
One of the underlying factors is flight risk. ONe thing to consider is ties to the community. James had employment with Door Dash, and Jennifer's employment has been terminated. All of the items are going into storage, their home is going on the market, their horses are going up for sale. They drained their son's bank account. They had multiple phones, some of which they gave their numbers to LE, other's were not.
Prosecutor is going through the events of the C's hiding from being arrested. When taken into custody, they had $6600 in cash, burner phones, tons of credit cards and gift cards, and Jennifer's SS card. They fled to another county. There was a police station across the street from their hotel.
As to the likelihood of conviction: They committed these crimes by either grossly negligent in their storing of firearms, or bad parents (simply). As far back as March 2021, he would text his mother that there was a demon or a ghost in the house. He tortued animals at the family home. He filmed these on hisp hone. The head of the bird was displayed in his room. he searched school shootings and guns on his phone, that he recieved spam email about mental health. His parents didn't intervene. They didn't investigate phone or browser history. In August of 2021, he mentioned shooting up a school and then had written jk jk jk. The evidence shows that the firearm was bought for Ethan. Ethan stopped doing school work and was surprised that his parents didn't seem to know or care. The teacher caught him looking up the ammunition the day before the shooting.
As the prosecutor talks about how the school told the parents that EC needed therapy, Jenifer is shaking her head. She keeps shaking her head and making faces as he is talking. Including the fact that her employer would let her have the day off and she had no meetings.
Defense Rebuttal:
After the shooting, the Crumbley's home address was listed on the internet. Prior to being charged and arrested, they had received threats to their lives. They had to leave their home. They are selling the home because it's no longer safe to live there. Prosecutor is ignoring that defense attorney's had tried to contact them all day.
Judge: Defendant's have ties to the state of FL; after the chargers were issued they didn't turn themselves in, their vehicle was hidden, they withdrew a substantial amount of money, they weren't returning attorney's call. Bond as set is reasonable and the court DENIES reduction of bond.
