Lawyers poring over thousands of pages of evidence in Highland Park mass shooting case

Lake County prosecutors on Tuesday said they are reviewing thousands of pages of documents and hours of surveillance footage for the criminal trial against the man accused of carrying out the Highland Park Fourth of July parade mass shooting.

At a morning hearing, neither state prosecutors nor the public defenders representing Robert Crimo III, 22, of Highwood reported any issue with what is likely to be a lengthy process of discovery — making all the evidence in the case available to both sides.

Tuesday's hearing marked the first time the accused was before a Lake County judge since August, when he pleaded not guilty to the 117 criminal charges against him.

Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart said after the hearing, which lasted less than five minutes, that the evidence includes medical records of victims, information gathered at the scene by police officers and surveillance video from several businesses near the scene of the shooting.

“(Evidence) is to be tendered to the defense in an orderly and cataloged way,” Rinehart told reporters after the hearing, adding that neither side has reported problems with the process so far.

Lake County Judge Victoria Rosetti set the next hearing for Jan. 31. If an issue comes up related to discovery, either side could request an additional hearing before then, Rinehart said.

Officials said the accused opened fire from a rooftop at spectators in the streets below. Seven gunshot victims died and more than 50 others were injured, both by gunfire and in the rush for safety that followed.

The accused is charged with 21 counts of first-degree murder, three for each of the seven people killed by gunfire; 48 counts of attempted murder; and 48 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm for each person struck by a bullet, bullet fragment or shrapnel.

Lawyers with Romanucci & Blandin, which represents more than four dozen survivors of the Highland Park shooting, issued a statement Tuesday on the criminal proceedings and the ongoing civil litigation.

The firm filed lawsuits on Sept. 28, which “are intended to also hold accountable Smith & Wesson for its deceptive and manipulative advertising and marketing that played a role in this mass shooting, as well as others in the chain of sale for the M&P15 weapon, the shooter and his father.”