Highland Park parade shooting trial: Full jury seated, what's next
Full jury seated in Highland Park parade shooting trial
Twelve jurors and six alternates have been seated in the trial of the accused Highland Park parade shooter, Robert Crimo III.
HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. - Twelve jurors and six alternates have been seated in the trial of the accused Highland Park parade shooter, Robert Crimo III.
The jurors were chosen over three days from a pool of several dozen Lake County residents.
The trial is slated to begin at 9 a.m. Monday, March 3 at the Lake County Courthouse in Waukegan.
What we know:
A full jury of 12 members—six men and six women—was selected to hear this case, along with six alternates—four men and two women.
Among those chosen are a camp counselor, retired toolmaker, hospice nurse, accountant, and warehouse worker.
Legal experts, including Chicago trial attorney Karen Conti, say the jury selection process moved faster than many would have expected.
"This is a small community, a community that was horribly affected by this. There are memorials all over. There’s nobody in this community that wouldn’t have heard of this crime," Conti said. "And so, it surprises me greatly that we have this many jurors already who have said they can put aside their preconceived notions and be impartial."
Throughout the trial, prosecutors will dive into the details of what unfolded nearly three years ago on Independence Day, which started as a celebratory day but ended in sheer terror.
Dozens of witnesses will be called to testify, including first responders, family members of those killed, and community members who were injured in the shooting. For many of them, the trial will be an opportunity to seek closure from the life-altering events.
"They’re going to see horrible crime scene pictures. They're going to be seeing autopsies. They're going to be seeing horrible things that are going to be very traumatizing to the average person," Conti explained.
Crimo, who is accused of killing seven people and injuring 48 others on July 4, 2022 during Highland Park’s annual parade, has been absent from court for much of the jury selection process.
On Monday, he was in attendance—wearing a suit and tie, unshackled—for the first half of the day, but did not return from jail following a mid-day break. On Tuesday, he pulled the same stunt, and on Wednesday, he failed to show up entirely.
"It’s a very, very bad decision. This is a guy who's expecting people from all walks of life to give up four to five weeks of their family time, their job, time to give him his constitutional right to a fair trial and to presume him innocent. And he doesn't want to show up because he's bored. I will tell you, that is a huge bad decision," Conti said.
Crimo’s parents were in court on Monday; his father attended part of the day on Wednesday.
Lake County Judge Victoria Rossetti has made it clear that the trial will move forward with or without the defendant present.
Who are the jurors?
All of the selected jurors live in Lake County. Some have been lifelong residents, while others recently moved to the area.
The panel of 12 jurors includes a business analyst, nurse, chef, accountant, EMT, and local township employee.
The six alternates include a supply chain officer, secretary, and investment advisor.
The Victims
The following men and women lost their lives during the Independence Day parade shooting.
- Jacki Sundheim, 63, Highland Park, Illinois
- Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza , 78, Morelos, Mexico
- Irina McCarthy, 35, Highland Park, Illinois
- Kevin McCarthy, 37, Highland Park, Illinois
- Katherine Goldstein, 64, Highland Park, Illinois
- Stephen Straus, 88, Highland Park, Illinois
- Eduardo Uvaldo, 69, of Waukegan
What's next:
The trial is set to begin on Monday, March 3 at 9 a.m., and is being held at the Lake County Courthouse.
Security has been heightened for the trial, with members of the public required to go through two screenings and to keep their cellphones in locked pouches.