Apalachee HS shooting: Judge denies father's appeal of his ruling
BARROW COUNTY, Ga. - A Barrow County judge has denied a request from Colin Gray, the father of the teen accused in the deadly Apalachee High School shooting, to challenge a previous ruling that upheld his indictment.
What we know:
Gray is accused of supplying the gun that his son, 14-year-old Colt Gray, allegedly used in the Sept. 4, 2024, shooting that killed two students and two teachers. He faces 29 criminal charges, including second-degree murder and second-degree cruelty to children.
In July, Gray’s legal team tried to have the charges dismissed, arguing that the indictment was unclear and lacked important details, including the date of the alleged crime. The judge rejected those arguments, saying the indictment was legally sufficient.
Last week, Gray’s attorney attempted to take the matter to the state appeals court by filing a certificate of immediate review, but that effort was blocked by the judge, who ruled the case should continue toward trial.
During a court hearing on Friday, the focus shifted to whether Colin Gray gave valid consent for police to search his home and phone following the shooting. His lawyers are asking the court to throw out certain evidence, claiming it was collected improperly.
RELATED: Apalachee HS shooting: Lawyers claim search of father's home improper
The judge is expected to issue a decision on that request within the next month.
Last month, Colin Gray's trial date was postponed over scheduling issues with his defense team.
Parental prosecutions
Big picture view:
Parental prosecutions in school shooting cases remain rare.
Notable examples include the 2021 Oxford, Michigan case, where James and Jennifer Crumbley were sentenced to 10–15 years in prison after their son killed four classmates. They were the first parents to be charged after their child committed a mass shooting.
Robert Crimo Jr., father of the July 4 (2022) Highland Park parade mass shooter, pled guilty to seven counts of reckless conduct.
Additionally, Deja Taylor, mother of a 6-year-old who shot his teacher in January 2023, was sentenced to two years in prison for felony child neglect in connection to the shooting.
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