Judge refuses to dismiss case against father of accused Highland Park shooter

CHICAGO (CBS)-- A judge on Monday rejected a motion to dismiss the case against the father of the suspected Highland Park mass shooter continues Monday.

Robert Crimo, Jr. is charged with seven counts of reckless conduct. A judge, not a jury, will decide his guilt or innocence this fall.   

The charges are based on Crimo Jr. sponsoring his son's application for a gun license in 2019. He was 19 and could not get a FOID card without his father's signature. His lawyers claim Crimo's rights were violated.

Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart said in a statement after the court appearance that his office is obligated to "secure justice" for the July 4 shooting victims and that when Crimo Jr. enabled his son to get an assault weapon, he had "intimate knowledge about his son's specific circumstances, a dangerous-mix that would have stopped any responsible parent from proceeding."

"In addition to the direct consequences of Mr. Crimo's reckless conduct, my office also charged Mr. Crimo because of our moral and law-enforcement obligation to prevent future tragedy in Lake County," Rinehart said in the statement. "If a parent helps their child obtain a firearm, and they are aware of a risky situation, they should know that, as long as I am the Lake County State's Attorney, they will be prosecuted."

The trial for Crimo Jr. will begin on Nov. 6 at 10 a.m. The judge also agreed to allow a camera in the courtroom for the trial. 

Robert Crimo III faces dozens of charges for killing seven people and wounding dozens more in the Fourth of July mass shooting last year.