Accused Highland Park gunman won't testify at father's reckless conduct trial
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The accused gunman in the Highland Park 4th of July mass shooting won't testify at his father's upcoming trial on reckless conduct charges.
Robert Crimo Jr. is set to go on trial next week on seven counts of reckless conduct – one for each person killed in the parade shooting last year – in part for signing his son's application for a Firearm Owner's Identification card to buy a gun in 2019. Robert Crimo III was 19 at the time, and could not get a FOID card without his father's signature.
Even with one week to go until Crimo Jr.'s trial, we already know some key evidence might be introduced, including text messages between father and, son and a witness who claims he knew Robert Crimo III talked about mass shootings in 2019.
Crimo Jr. showed little emotion in the courtroom on Monday, at one of his final hearings before his reckless conduct trial begins.
At that hearing, attorneys for Robert Crimo III said their client would assert his Fifth Amendment right if called as a witness. He is awaiting his own trial on 21 counts of first-degree murder for the Highland Park mass shooting.
With Crimo III invoking his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination, Judge George Strickland agreed the accused gunman won't need to show up to testify at his father's trial.
Lake County prosecutors will try to prove Robert Crimo Jr. knew his son had "violent ideations" before signing his FOID card application in 2019.
Strickland rejected the defense's request to throw out text messages between father and son as evidence. The messages show Crimo III expressing "suicidal ideations," and his father calling him "irrational."
Prosecutors have said the messages show Crimo Jr. knew what his son's mindset was at the time he applied for a FOID card.
The judge also rejected defense attorneys' request to ban testimony from a man who told prosecutors about his run in with Crimo III when he was a freshman in high school. The man is expected to say the accused gunman talked about a mass school shooting. Crimo Jr. was called to the scene, and minimized what was said, and then showed his gun to the witness, saying guns aren't a big deal.
Prosecutors said Crimo III then put a toy gun to the witness' neck, and pulled the trigger.
Crimo Jr.'s defense team argued no other witnesses could verify the witness' story.
Crimo Jr. opted for a bench trial over a jury trial, meaning Strickland will decide the verdict in the reckless conduct case.
Crimo III's murder trial date is expected to be scheduled during a hearing in December.
