Mother of American gunman convicted of negligent homicide. Cult leader in Kenya accused of 191 murders

The mother of the teenager who shot four students at a Michigan school in 2021 has been convicted of negligent homicide. According to media reports, this is the first time in the United States that a parent of a shooter has been convicted of personal responsibility for such a crime. The woman was found guilty Tuesday of four counts of involuntary manslaughter, CNN and the New York Times reported from the courtroom in Pontiac. The murder weapon was a gift from the parents to their then 15-year-old son. The mother now faces a prison sentence of up to 15 years; the sentence will be announced in April.

Serious accusations were made against the teenager’s parents after the crime for purchasing the murder weapon and allowing their minor son access to it. They also allegedly ignored warnings from the boy’s school environment. The 45-year-old mother pleaded ‘not guilty’ during the trial. Her husband is due to appear in court in March. The son had pleaded guilty to all 24 charges. Last year he was sentenced to life in prison without parole. He did not testify in the trial against his mother.

The case has brought renewed attention to the issue of parents’ responsibility for the actions of their children. It is rare for parents to be charged and convicted for such acts of violence by minors in schools. While parents have sometimes been held responsible for negligent behavior in the past, this appears to be the first time a parent of a juvenile shooter has been found guilty of negligent homicide. The twelve-member jury reportedly deliberated for more than ten hours.

Deadly school and college shootings continue to occur across the United States. Gun laws in the United States vary by state, but firearms such as pistols and assault rifles are usually relatively easy to obtain. Stricter gun laws usually fail because of Republicans in Congress and the powerful gun lobby. US President Joe Biden has promised measures to curb gun violence, but so far without concrete results. (sda/dpa)