The accused Highland Park parade shooter returned to court Tuesday as prosecutors asked a judge for more time to collect evidence.
Since Robert Crimo III’s last hearing in November, attorneys have collected 10,000 pages of evidence and dozens of photos and videos connected to the July 4 massacre that left seven people dead and nearly 50 wounded, attorneys said during the four-minute hearing.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Ben Dillon told Judge Victoria Rossetti that prosecutors still need to subpoena medical records of victims not obtained by the grand jury.
Attorneys agreed to update Rossetti again in three months, on May 9.
This is the second time attorneys have asked the judge for more time to collect and share discovery evidence. On Nov. 1, attorneys told Rossetti they had shared 2,500 pages of evidence.
In a court hearing last week for Crimo’s father, who is charged with reckless conduct for signing his son’s FOID card, prosecutors said they were continuing to hand over evidence and there was so much evidence they’d require a terabyte-sized hard drive.
Tuesday’s hearing was the first since Crimo III allegedly made a prank phone call from the Lake County Jail to a New York Post reporter on New Year’s Eve. The judge did not address the incident.
After the hearing, Ashby Beasley, who was at the parade with her 6-year-old son, said, “It really never gets easier” seeing Crimo III in court.
“I come to this courtroom to represent my friends and my neighbors who can’t be here,” said Beasley, who has traveled to Washington, D.C., to promote a federal assault weapons ban.
Crimo III 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 the north suburb.
His attorneys have not yet requested a trial, which would start a countdown under the state’s speedy trial law.
Both Crimos also are the target of a dozen civil lawsuits filed by shooting victims.
Authorities have said the younger Crimo disguised himself in women’s clothes during the attack and dropped the rifle while running away. Police said they identified Crimo by that weapon and from images from surveillance cameras. Police arrested Crimo eight hours after the attack while driving his mother’s car in North Chicago.
