Survivors and relatives of those killed in the 2022 Highland Park Fourth of July Parade shooting are set to provide statements Wednesday at the gunman's sentencing hearing at the Lake County Courthouse in Waukegan.
Robert E. Crimo III, 24, pleaded guilty last month to the shooting that left seven people dead and more than 40 injured. His plea change to guilty, which came just moments before opening statements at his trial, was a shock to many -- including his own attorneys -- even after years of unpredictable legal proceedings.
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WATCH HEREThe defendant faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole, as each count of first-degree murder carries a maximum natural life sentence in Illinois.
Prosecutors and attorneys for survivors say addressing Crimo is an important step.
“They have been patiently waiting for justice to be served,” a statement from Romanucci & Blandin, a Chicago-based law firm that represents nearly 50 victims said. They “will tell their personal stories to the court, and they are steadfastly committed to pursuing justice.”
Attorneys were unsure how many people might provide victim impact statements, and the hearing could take several days. Prosecutors are also expected to lay out evidence during the sentencing hearing, along with hours of footage of Crimo’s interrogation where they argued he had confessed to the shooting.
Crimo was not in court as the hearing began. Judge Victoria Rossetti said she warned Crimo, who was in the Lake County jail, that the case and sentencing would go on with or without him. His attorney was present.
Early on, Crimo fired his public defenders and said he would represent himself. Then, he reversed his decision. He’s refused to leave his cell to attend court proceedings at times, including during parts of jury selection. After he pleaded guilty in court, he signed documents waiving his right to trial with both his own name and the name “Donald Trump.”
His father was also charged in connection to his son getting a gun license, and pleaded guilty in 2023 to seven misdemeanor counts of reckless conduct. He served just over a month in prison.
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SIGN UP Residents in the suburban community of roughly 30,000 have mourned the shooting deeply. Some potential jurors were excused because of their connections to the high-profile case. Several survivors have also filed lawsuits against Crimo and gunmaker Smith & Wesson.
City leaders canceled the usual parade in 2023, opting instead for a “community walk.” The parade was reinstated last year on a different route and included a memorial.
The victims killed in the shooting included Katherine Goldstein, 64; Jacquelyn Sundheim, 63; Stephen Straus, 88; Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, 78; Eduardo Uvaldo, 69; and married couple Kevin McCarthy, 37, and Irina McCarthy, 35.
In all, seven people were killed, and at least 48 others were wounded in the shooting.
