In a surprising turn of events, Robert Crimo Jr., father of the accused Highland Park shooter, has pleaded guilty to several misdemeanor charges of reckless conduct. As the trial was set to begin, Crimo Jr. opted for a plea deal, which includes a 60-day jail sentence and 2 years probation.

Originally facing seven felony counts of reckless conduct, Crimo Jr. was being prosecuted on the grounds that he should have known the potential danger his son posed to the public when he signed his Firearm Ownership Identification card application. At the time, his son, Robert Crimo III, was only 19 years old and required a parent's signature for the application.

Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart announced the plea deal just moments before Crimo Jr.'s trial was scheduled to start. Under the agreement, Crimo Jr. has pleaded guilty to seven misdemeanor counts of reckless conduct. Apart from the jail term, he will also be placed on probation for two years, perform 100 hours of community service, surrender his own FOID card, and relinquish any firearms he might possess.

Prosecutors have argued that Crimo Jr. had knowledge of his son's "violent ideations" at the time of signing the FOID card application in 2019. Had the case proceeded to trial, witnesses would have testified that Crimo Jr. was aware of his son's recent suicidal text messages, reports of threats towards his family, previous incidents of suicidal thoughts, and an expressed interest in committing a mass shooting in 2014 or 2015.

As per the plea deal, Crimo Jr. is acknowledging that he knew his son posed a significant risk to others when he signed the FOID card application. He is expected to surrender to the Lake County Jail on November 15th.

Following the guilty plea on Monday, Crimo Jr.'s attorney, George Gomez, emphasized that his client did not want to jeopardize his son's upcoming murder trial. Acknowledging that the release of potential key evidence during his own trial could harm his son's right to a fair trial, Crimo Jr. made the decision to ensure that his son receives a fair proceeding.

The murder trial for Robert Crimo III, who has been indicted on a total of 117 counts, including 21 counts of first-degree murder, is anticipated to be scheduled during a hearing in December. The charges against Crimo III include attempted murder and aggravated battery, with each count representing a victim who was either struck by a bullet, bullet fragment, or shrapnel.

As both father and son's legal battles continue, the Highland Park community awaits further updates regarding the forthcoming murder trial and the potential consequences that lie ahead.