Trial delayed for Waukegan man accused of killing dogs
The trial of a Waukegan man accused of beating a family member and killing three dogs was delayed Friday after the man fired his defense attorney in court, Lake County prosecutors said.
The trial for Juan Rositas, 49, of Waukegan, was delayed until Oct. 13 by Judge James Booras after Rositas released defense attorney Robert Ritacca, Assistant State's Attorney Ari Fisz said.
Booras appointed the public defender for Rositas in the case, Fisz said. The two sides are due back in court Sept. 10.
Rositas was scheduled to go to trial Monday on charges of armed violence, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated domestic battery and intimidation for attacking the female family member between April 5 and April 10. He is accused of threatening to "chop up" the family member with a machete while she pleaded for her life during the confrontation, prosecutors said.
The victim was also beaten, threatened with physical harm and forced under threat of violence to say she'd been having an affair during the five-day span, authorities have said.
In a separate case, prosecutors charged Rositas with nine counts of armed violence, animal torture and aggravated cruelty to animals for allegedly killing three dogs between November 2014 and January 2015, and burying the bodies in the yard of his Waukegan home.
Rositas faces 10 to 30 years in prison if he's convicted of the attacks against the family member, and 3 to 7 years in prison if convicted of the attacks against the animals, prosecutors said.
Rositas remains held in Lake County jail on $750,000 bail.