By Jyoti Jha
A judge of Lake County has refused to dismiss charges against the father of a suspect.
This man’s son is suspected to have killed 7 people in the 4th of july parade held in Highland Park last year.
What Did The Father Do?
Robert Crimo Jr. helped his son Robert Crimo III get a gun license even after his 19-year-old son had threatened to be violent. George Strickland is the judge who ruled against Robert Crimo Jr.’s request to dismiss charges against him for reckless conduct.
Robert Crimo Jr’s trial is all set to take place on the 6th of November, 2023. He was charged last December with reckless conduct for the killing of six people in the parade at the hands of his son.
Reckless Conduct
His lawyers held that the charges against him were unconstitutional because the judge and prosecution were interpreting the term “reckless conduct” very broadly.
The shooting apparently took place years after the application for the license. The criminal defense Attorney, George Gomez, also said that his signature on the application was just a use of the right to free speech.
Judge Disagrees
The judge disagreed with all points made by the Attorney. He stated that a statute of limitations was not valid in this case because the shooting took place just a year ago.
Judge Strickland said that the signature on the gun ownership application is not a part of protected free speech. “The mere fact that something is uttered or written or otherwise reproduced does not necessarily mean that it is protected by the First Amendment,” he said.
The judge was in favor of the prosecutors’ case. He wants TV cameras to be allowed to capture the trial proceedings.
As a remark on the case, the Lake County State’s attorney said, “Parents who help their kids get weapons of War are morally and legally responsible when those kids hurt others with those weapons.”
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