Nov. 30, 2021: Four students were killed, seven injured, and hundreds terrorized at Oxford High School in suburban Detroit, Michigan when a 15-year-old gunman entered with a weapon he found at home.

This week, we sat down with Karen D. McDonald, Oakland County Prosecutor, and discuss how she sparked a national conversation on gun accountability when she pressed unprecedented charges that she “felt in her gut was right”. Known as a "creative, unsparing prosecutor, crusading for justice,” McDonald provides a masterclass in leading with compassion.

McDonald charged Crumbley’s parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, after evidence emerged that they had supplied the boy his weapon while ignoring a litany of warning signs about his dangerous state of mind.

About Our Guest: Karen D. McDonald was elected Oakland County Prosecutor on November 3, 2020, and took office on January 1st, 2021. Karen is committed to protecting victims of crime, improving outcomes for juveniles and families, and increasing fairness and racial equity across the criminal justice system. 

Prior to her election as Oakland County Prosecutor, Karen was a judge on the Oakland County Circuit Court. She was elected to the bench in 2012, and re-elected in 2018. As a judge, Karen specialized in family matters - including divorce and custody, child abuse and neglect, and adoption. She is especially proud to have presided over the first adoption by an LGBTQ+ couple in the history of the State of Michigan.

Karen began her career as a high school English teacher in Midland, Michigan – an experience that sparked her lifelong commitment to kids. After attending law school, Karen served as an assistant prosecuting attorney at the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office, where she prosecuted child sexual assault cases. She then became a private practice attorney and partner at a prominent Oakland County-based law firm, where she specialized in civil and family law.

Throughout her legal career, Prosecutor McDonald has honed significant expertise in matters relating to children and families. She has been called upon to share her passion and expertise on a number of boards, tasks forces, and commissions, including the Oakland County Youth Suicide Prevention Task Force and the Foster Care Review Board Program Advisory Committee. She is the recipient of the Oakland County Domestic Violence Prevention Award and the Joan E. Young Champion of Children Award. In July 2021, Governor Gretchen Whitmer appointed Prosecutor McDonald to serve on the State of Michigan’s Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform, chaired by the Lieutenant Governor.

Karen was raised in Portland, Michigan, alongside her two sisters. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English and political science at Alma College and graduated cum laude from Wayne State University School of Law. She lives in Birmingham with her husband and five children.

To learn more:

OCPO Website: https://www.oakgov.com/prosecutor

OCPO FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/OaklandCountyProsecutor

Political Website: https://mcdonaldforprosecutor.com

Political FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/KarenMcDonaldMI

PHOTO CREDIT: HOUR Detroit

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Read Sheri’s blog post on the story and launch of Confident!