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Highland Park mass shooting suspect returns to court, but no trial date set

A Lake County judge plans to set a trial date in December for the man accused of carrying out the mass shooting at last year's Highland Park Independence Day parade.

A trial date for Robert Crimo III was expected Monday, but the decision was delayed another three months as prosecutors and defense lawyers continue to exchange evidence.

The 22-year-old suspect appeared in court briefly Monday morning before Lake County Judge Victoria Rossetti for a pretrial status hearing. It was his first time in court since May.

Rossetti scheduled another status hearing for Dec. 11, stating that she intends to set a trial date during those proceedings.

Assistant Lake County State's Attorney Ben Dillon said that since that last hearing prosecutors and defense lawyers have exchanged another 10,000 documents, including lab reports and materials prepared for the grand jury that indicted the suspect last year.

Dillon said some evidence that remains to be shared is with the FBI for testing. The discovery process should be complete by Dec. 11, he said.

Authorities say the suspect opened fire on parade spectators from a rooftop perch in downtown Highland Park, killing seven and injuring dozens more.

He is charged with 21 counts of first-degree murder - three for each of the seven killed - as well as 48 counts of attempted murder and 48 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm, one for each person struck by a bullet, bullet fragment or shrapnel.

If found guilty, he would face a sentence of life in prison.

  Members of an FBI evidence response team walk near the scene of the 2022 mass shooting at the Independence Day parade in Highland Park. The accused shooter appeared in court Monday for the first time since May. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com, 2022
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