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The man accused of killing seven people and wounding dozens more during a Fourth of July Parade in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park said he no longer wishes to represent himself during a case management hearing in Lake County Friday.
During the short hearing, Robert E. Crimo III, who last month told Judge Victoria Rossetti that he wanted to represent himself in upcoming proceedings, reversed course and asked for public defenders.
“With thorough consideration, I am requesting to re-appoint the Lake County public defenders," he said, in response to Rossetti asking if Crimo still wished to represent himself.
While Rossetti responded by saying she would reappoint the Lake County public defenders, they were not present at the hearing. Lake County officials did not immediately confirm whether or not the public defenders would be Greg Tiscay and Anton Trizna, the same ones that represented Crimo at previous hearings.
Robert Crimo Jr., and Denise Pesina, the accused shooter's parents, were both present at the hearing.
The alleged shooter's next court date is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Jan. 10. A Lake County set the trial date for Feb. 26, 2024, with the case expected to take anywhere from four to six weeks.
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The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office released the following statement after Friday's hearing:
"Our victim specialists have been in constant communication with the victims and their families throughout the case and will continue to do so. We anticipate a discussion of the trial date on the next court date, January 10, 2024, at 11:00 a.m., when all parties are present. Our office has no comment on the defendant's legal representation."
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Prosecutors have said Crimo admitted to the shooting when police arrested him following an hourslong search on July 4, 2022.
He is being held at Lake County Jail.
Crimo has pleaded not guilty to 117 felony counts for allegedly firing an assault rifle at paradegoers from a rooftop at Central Avenue and Second Street in north suburban Highland Park.
Assistant State’s Attorney Ben Dillon said prosecutors have shared more than 10,000 pages of medical reports and other evidence in the discovery process.
Since Crimo’s last hearing, prosecutors have received five more reports from the Illinois Secretary of State’s office, Skokie Hospital, Highland Park Hospital, the Cook County medical examiner’s office and Lurie Children’s Hospital.
Crimo’s father, Robert Crimo Jr., was charged with seven counts of reckless conduct for signing his son’s firearm owner’s identification card application when he was 19 years old. Just before his trial was expected to begin, Crimo Jr. last month pleaded guilty to lowered charges as part of a plea deal.
In November, he was sentenced to 60 days in jail. 30 days later, he was released early due to good behavior.
