Watch live: Testimony resumes in Jennifer Crumbley's involuntary manslaughter trial

Jennifer Crumbley’s trial on involuntary manslaughter charges stemming from her son murdering four people at Oxford High School in November 2021 resumes at 8:30 a.m. Monday.

It is the third day of testimony after a jury was seated last week. Emotions have run high in the courtroom of Oakland Circuit Judge Cheryl Matthews as prosecutors have shown multiple messages where Crumbley's son texted her about hallucinating and seeing demons while she and her husband were riding their horses, and video of the parents going into Oxford High School on Nov. 30, 2021, to discuss a troubling drawing their son made, just hours before the shooting.

Read more: Judge on historic trial of Oxford shooter's parent managing dust-ups, emotions in court

Jennifer and James Crumbley are the first parents in America to go on trial on charges seeking to hold them responsible for a mass school shooting. Their son Ethan pleaded guilty to killing four students and injuring seven other people in the rampage.

Watch the livestream here.

Horse barn owner once said mom needed a police escort to visit

Kira Pennock, who owned the barn where the Crumbleys boarded their two horses, was the first witness Monday.

According to her testimony, Jennifer Crumbley spent $10,000 on two horses, and took horse riding lessons from Pennock about three times a week during the evenings and during the day on the weekends.

Pennock said the Crumbleys spoke frequently about their horses' health issues, paid by check for her services, spent $5,000 on each horse and sometimes drank alcohol at her barn.

Defense attorney Shannon Smith objected to the testimony about drinking, arguing that it was irrelevant.

Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald disagreed. "If you're buying a $5,000 horse and drinking," it's relevant regarding their priorities as parents. The prosecution has long argued the Crumbleys paid more attention to their personal lives than they did their son.

The farm owner said that she met the Crumbleys' son only once, and that Jennifer Crumbley mentioned him once in awhile, "called him weird" and referred to him as an "oopsie baby."

"There was not really much talk of her son," Pennock said, and what there was "was nothing truly positive."

The defense argued the "oopsie baby" comment was irrelevant. The prosecutor moved on.

Pennock testified about the day of the shooting. That morning, she said, she learned the Crumbleys' horse Billy needed medication for mud fever and his legs were swollen. Jennifer Crumbley also had plans for a riding lesson that night, she told jurors, noting Crumbley contacted her after a morning meeting at her son's school, and told her that she would still be at her lesson and that her son was coming along.

According to Pennock, Crumbley explained that her son was having a "shit" day at school and showed her a photo of a violent drawing her son had made on a math worksheet that day. It was the drawing that prompted school officials to call in James and Jennifer Crumbley, featuring a picture of a gun and the words, "The Thoughts won't Stop, help me."

Pennock suggested her son could use horse therapy.

"He needs something," Jennifer Crumbley responded in a Facebook Messenger chat.

"Let's make him a cowboy," Pennock wrote back.

Pennock testified that later that day, when she heard there was a shooting at Oxford High School, she immediately thought it was Crumbley's son.

Why? prosecutors asked.

"It's not normal for someone to draw these things at school," Pennock testified.

At 4:07, she messaged Jennifer: "Is everything okay ... If you need anything please let me know."

At 4:42: Jennifer Crumbley wrote her back: "I need to sell my horses, STAT."

Pennock said she offered to buy the horses. Jennifer Crumbley told her she paid $5,000 for each horse, but that she wanted $8,000 each for them. Pennock said she became concerned that the Crumbleys might come to her barn and steal items.

The defense objected. The prosecution was instructed to reword the question.

Pennock testified: “I did not truly feel bad for Jennifer. I was upset that this had happened to all of the kids and families."

The jury also saw a string of Facebook messages between Pennock and Crumbley, during which Crumbley talked about needing $200,000 for a lawyer and selling her house to get money.

"I'm bawling right now ... My son ruined so many lives today," Crumbley wrote.

"I'm still in shock, too. Take it one day at a time ... I will take care of the boys," Pennock wrote back, referring to the Crumbleys' horses.

"Okay, thanks for not judging, unlike the whole world," Jennifer Crumbley wrote back.

"I know you and James and this doesn't even remotely make me think it's your fault. It sounds like Ethan was a troubled kid. It's unfortunate this happened," Pennock wrote back.

Another message from Jennifer Crumbley said, "I wish we had warnings. Something. He was a good kid that made bad decisions."

Pennock wrote back, "There probably were warnings, but nobody saw them. Hindsight is 2020." Later, she told Jennifer Crumbley not to come to her barn without a police escort. "I'm really sorry. I need to look after my business."

"Seriously? Those horses are the only good things in my life right now." Jennifer Crumbley wrote back.

Pennock also testified that at one point, she changed her mind about letting Jennifer Crumbley come to the barn alone, and messaged her that it was OK to visit the horses.

But Jennifer Crumbley wrote back: "We're out of the area in a safe place."

According to Pennock's testimony, she and Crumbley communicated about the sale of the horses and their wellbeing in the days after the shooting, with Jennifer Crumbley noting at one point that her messages "are probably being monitored."

On Dec. 3, when Pennock suggested they meet to discuss selling the horses for cash, Crumbley responded: "Maybe. They're announcing charges at 12."

According to Pennock, she did not buy the horses, but they were signed over to her per the boarding contract. The Crumbleys have been jailed for more than two years, since those charges were announced.

On cross-examination by defense attorney Shannon Smith, Pennock conceded she was also friends with Jennifer Crumbley, not just a business associate.

She also testified that she had bad cell service at her barn as it was in a remote area, and that customers had difficulty making calls.

This detail is important to the defense because the Crumbleys have been accused of ignoring their son's text messages when they were out riding horses.

Smith is now trying to impeach the witness, questioning her about prior testimony when Pennock said in 2022: "I have never gotten the feeling that Jennifer and James had those types of issues with their son."

Smith asked Pennock why her current testimony is different — that she thought the Crumbleys had issues with their son. She couldn't explain the difference.

Smith then asked Pennock why she didn't call police after seeing the troubling drawing the shooter had made on the math sheet.

"I would not have known that something like this would have happened." Pennock responded.

That's precisely what Smith has been arguing about her client: that she could not predict what happened, not even after seeing that math paper, and that hindsight is 2020.

"If you had a crystal ball," would you have called police and stopped a shooting? Smith asked Pennock.

"Correct," the barn owner answered.

Smith also asked Pennock if she ever had any problems with Jennifer Crumbley stealing from her, or if she ever contacted police about such problems or concerns.

No, she answered, but she feared the Crumbleys, given their circumstances, may do things they hadn't done.

Defense attorney apologizes for 'kill myself' comment

After the jury was brought into the courtroom Monday, defense attorney Smith addressed the court, saying that on Friday she made a comment that was offensive to victims and the victims’ families. While struggling with exhibits as she questioned a witness, Smith said she was “going to kill myself.”

“I am apologizing for that comment,” Smith said. “I truly did not mean to say the comment I made.”

Judge Cheryl Matthews said: “I believe that.”

On Friday, after testimony concluded and jurors left the courtroom, prosecutors expressed concern about Smith’s comment. Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said parents of teens killed in the shooting were in the courtroom and she was “simply asking that we be respectful to victims.” Smith said she did not mean to offend the families.

Matthews said on Friday she thought “it was a slip of the tongue. … Emotions are running high.”

Jennifer Crumbley is OK with messages being admitted

Jennifer Crumbley testified briefly Monday without the jury present about her messages on Facebook.

At issue was whether the jury should see the entire Facebook Messenger thread from January 2021 through the day of the shooting. Crumbley said she does not object to all of them being admitted without redaction.

This Facebook conversation touches on subjects to which she previously objected. But now she is saying let it all in. It is unclear why, but presumably the exchanges will show more about how the Crumbleys' family interactions.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Jennifer Crumbley trial in Oxford High shooting resumes