Robert E. Crimo III listens to Lake County Judge Victoria A. Rossetti during a brief status hearing at the Lake County Courthouse on Friday. | Photo: Nam Y. Huh/AP (Pool)

A judge has delayed the trial, which was set to begin next month, for the accused Highland Park parade shooter after he recently requested the public defender be re-appointed.

Robert E. Crimo III, 23, of Highwood, faces 21 counts of first-degree murder, 48 counts of attempted murder and 48 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm.

Crimo III appeared for a brief status hearing on Wednesday before Lake County Judge Victoria Rossetti.

Lake County Assistant Public Defender Anton Trizna asked the judge to cancel the February 26 trial date due to his office being re-appointed in Crimo III’s case last week.

Trizna requested the trial date be set for February 2025 but prosecutors, who said they had been prepared for next month’s trial, asked for the trial to occur this year.

Rossetti indicated she would like to see the trial take place this year.

[Suggested Article]  Armed man accused of attacking victim, firing several shots at people at grocery store in Waukegan
Lake County Judge Victoria A. Rossetti asks questions to Robert E. Crimo III during a brief status hearing at the Lake County Courthouse on Friday. | Photo: Nam Y. Huh/AP (Pool)

The judge asked the public defender’s office to take time to discuss internally whether they could be prepared for a trial this year.

Rossetti scheduled another status hearing for February 21 where she is expected to set the new trial date.

On Friday, Crimo III requested the Lake County Public Defender’s Office be re-appointed to his case.

He had been representing himself since December 11 after discharging the public defender’s office.

Crimo has been held in the Lake County Jail without bond since July 6, 2022.

He is currently in the Administrative Segregation Unit (ASU) of the Lake County Jail following two separate rule violations.

Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said Crimo III verbally threatened a correctional officer in November and then in December used the PIN of another inmate to make a telephone call at a time when his phone privileges were suspended.

[Suggested Article]  Police response dispatched after alarm activation prompts lockdown at high school in Algonquin

Prosecutors previously said Crimo III admitted to “looking down his sights” of his Smith & Wesson M&P 15 semi-automatic rifle before opening fire on the crowd on July 4, 2022, near Second Street and Central Avenue in Highland Park.

Crimo told investigators he fired two full 30-round magazines before loading a third 30-round magazine and firing, Dillon said.

Seven people were killed and dozens of others were shot. 83 spent shell casings were recovered at the scene.