Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald is under fire for her handling of the high-profile cases against James and Jennifer Crumbley, the parents of the Oxford High School shooter. An investigation by the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission has been launched into allegations of misconduct, which include a "must-win" approach to prosecution, withholding evidence from defense lawyers, and using media attention to prejudice defendants.
The complaint was filed by veteran attorney Nancy J. Diehl, who is a former president of the Michigan Bar Association and a retired prosecutor with nearly 30 years of experience in the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office. Diehl alleges that McDonald fostered an environment where prosecution success was paramount over ethical considerations, which led to concerns about professional conduct.
The Crumbley case drew national attention as precedent-setting cases that tested the boundaries of parental responsibility in mass shootings. Prosecutors argued that the parents bore criminal responsibility for their son's actions, drawing widespread media attention and placing the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office at the center of a national debate over accountability in school shootings.
McDonald's office has pushed back strongly against the allegations, calling them a "political attack" with claims that have been previously found not to have merit. The Oakland County Prosecutor's Office describes the grievance process as confidential unless the commission determines there is cause for concern.
The investigation raises questions about whether it could impact other cases handled by the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office. Ethics reviews can invite added scrutiny from defense attorneys, but they do not automatically affect active prosecutions. Operations have continued as usual while the grievance review moves forward.
The outcome of the investigation is unclear, and no timeline has been announced. The Attorney Grievance Commission will continue its review under established procedures for evaluating allegations of attorney misconduct. The commission's review could result in the dismissal of the complaint or, if violations are substantiated, formal disciplinary action.
McDonald, a Democrat, is now campaigning for Michigan attorney general as the grievance review moves forward. Her high-profile prosecution of the Crumbley case drew widespread attention and raised questions about her fitness to hold public office. The investigation has sparked concerns about her conduct and the potential impact on Oakland County's cases.
The complaint was filed by veteran attorney Nancy J. Diehl, who is a former president of the Michigan Bar Association and a retired prosecutor with nearly 30 years of experience in the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office. Diehl alleges that McDonald fostered an environment where prosecution success was paramount over ethical considerations, which led to concerns about professional conduct.
The Crumbley case drew national attention as precedent-setting cases that tested the boundaries of parental responsibility in mass shootings. Prosecutors argued that the parents bore criminal responsibility for their son's actions, drawing widespread media attention and placing the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office at the center of a national debate over accountability in school shootings.
McDonald's office has pushed back strongly against the allegations, calling them a "political attack" with claims that have been previously found not to have merit. The Oakland County Prosecutor's Office describes the grievance process as confidential unless the commission determines there is cause for concern.
The investigation raises questions about whether it could impact other cases handled by the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office. Ethics reviews can invite added scrutiny from defense attorneys, but they do not automatically affect active prosecutions. Operations have continued as usual while the grievance review moves forward.
The outcome of the investigation is unclear, and no timeline has been announced. The Attorney Grievance Commission will continue its review under established procedures for evaluating allegations of attorney misconduct. The commission's review could result in the dismissal of the complaint or, if violations are substantiated, formal disciplinary action.
McDonald, a Democrat, is now campaigning for Michigan attorney general as the grievance review moves forward. Her high-profile prosecution of the Crumbley case drew widespread attention and raised questions about her fitness to hold public office. The investigation has sparked concerns about her conduct and the potential impact on Oakland County's cases.
. The whole thing just feels like a big ol' mess. I mean, you got this prosecutor, Karen McDonald, who's under fire for her handling of these high-profile cases... and now she's running for AG? It's like, how does that even happen? 
. It's crazy that Nancy J. Diehl filed this complaint, especially since she's got some serious cred in the attorney world 
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. Like, how can you call something a politics thing when there are actual allegations of misconduct? It just feels like she's trying to shift the blame away from herself 
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. Like, can she really keep it together while trying to navigate all these allegations? Only time will tell!
Anyway, back to Karen McDonald, I don't think she's the only one who's gotten too caught up in being a hero prosecutor... It's like, yeah, accountability is important, but at what cost? Like, did she really need to make those parents the focal point of her entire office's efforts? And now that there's an investigation going on, I'm low-key hoping she gets called out for all this. But let's be real, even if she does get in trouble, it won't stop people like her from doing whatever it takes to "win" their cases... 
. And the worst part is, she's still denying everything, calling it a "political attack". Like, come on, Karen, if you've got nothing to hide, why not just own up to it? 
This whole thing has me shook, and I'm hoping the Attorney Grievance Commission does some real digging. We need to know what's going on here 
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my dad used to be a lawyer in california back in the day and he always said that prosecutors are under so much pressure to win cases or else they're outta job 
that's some serious misbehavior
where the prosecutor is basically accused of trying to win at all costs and it's just not right
this is straight fire, oakland county prosecutor karen mcDonald needs to answer for this... she thinks she can just sweep it under the rug? 
no way, this is a must-win approach in a whole new level, withholding evidence like that's not even right, and using media attention to prejudice defendants? that's just sickening 
what kind of environment does she foster where prosecution success over ethics is the only thing that matters? we need accountability here, and if mcDonald can't handle it herself, maybe the voters will take care of it in 2026 