Sins of the Child

A blizzard in Massachusetts. A Boston police officer found dead in the snow. His girlfriend, Karen Read, accused of murder. After last year's mistrial left the country divided, the courtroom drama is back in the spotlight—this time with higher stakes, new prosecutors, and explosive evidence emerging as the case unfolds in real time.Law and Crime’s hit podcast series returns with a brand new season: KAREN: THE RETRIAL. Hosted by Emmy Award-winning investigative reporter Kristin Thorne, each episode delivers exclusive analysis, behind-the-scenes access, and expert interviews you won’t find anywhere else. With both sides fighting to control the narrative and new revelations coming to light, the search for truth is more urgent—and more complicated—than ever.Listen to episodes of KAREN: THE RETRIAL, exclusively and ad-free, right now on Wondery+. Start your free trial in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

James and Jennifer Crumbley are sentenced together. But for the victims of the Oxford High School shooting, their fates are merely the beginning of their quest for answers. The school itself becomes the focus of litigation, and the civil suit has far-reaching implications. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At James Crumbley’s trial, questions arise over how safely the gun used to carry out the Oxford High School shooting was stored. And, the sympathetic characterization of James is turned on its head when recorded phone calls from jail are played for the court. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Now that the Oxford High School shooter has finally been sentenced, Oakland County prosecutors shift their focus to his parents. Separate trials are ordered for James and Jennifer based on new character-witness statements submitted to the court. First to be tried, Jennifer Crumbley’s seven day trial begins. Expert testimony, witnesses, and a mountain of evidence are stacked against her in the fight to determine her culpability in the murders of four teenagers. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At the shooter’s sentencing hearing, loved ones of the slain and victims of the violence share their impact statements. Their compelling testimony is weighed by Judge Kwame Rowe, who must decide whether the teenage assailant will serve life without parole. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Oxford High School shooter’s attorneys have a change of heart on their approach to fighting his twenty-four charges. Now, the defense and prosecution must make their cases for whether or not he will be eligible for a sentence of life without parole. Over the course of a four day Miller Hearing, the court hears arguments from experts with varying opinions regarding the shooter’s potential to be rehabilitated. And, victims give first-hand testimony from the day of the shooting.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Oxford High School shooter is charged with murder and terrorism. While the Oakland County Prosecutor makes her case to try him as an adult, it becomes undeniable that the shooter’s parents bear some responsibility in the senseless murders of four teenagers. In a legal landmark, involuntary manslaughter charges are announced against Jennifer and James Crumbley. But Jennifer and James are nowhere to be found. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The quaint Michigan township of Oxford is rocked by a devastating tragedy when a 15-year-old boy opens fire at the local high school. As the day unfolds, startling details emerge as to how he came into possession of the gun used in the shooting and red flags that were dismissed just hours before the attack. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On November 30, 2021, when Ethan Crumbley opened fire on his classmates at Oxford High School killing four students, the reactions to this modern American phenomenon were sadly familiar. The events that unfolded in the aftermath of the Michigan shooting, however, were anything but. The teenage assailant’s parents, Jennifer and James, were thrust into the national spotlight, when, in an unprecedented turn of events, the two were charged in connection with their son’s acts of violence. Raising questions about parental responsibility, agency and what could have been done to prevent the heartbreaking tragedy, Law and Crime presents the most in-depth analysis to date – exploring these complex questions and more by taking you behind the scenes of the historic trials of Jennifer and James Crumbley in SINS OF THE CHILD. You can listen to SINS OF THE CHILD exclusively and ad-free with Wondery Plus. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.