Robert E. Crimo III, the defendant accused in the Highland Park massacre, will be representing himself in his upcoming criminal trial. The trial date, set for February 26, 2024, was moved up a year earlier than anticipated by the lawyers involved. Crimo invoked his right to a speedy trial and requested to proceed without the assistance of his public defenders.

During a court hearing at the Lake County Courthouse on Monday, Judge Victoria Rossetti questioned Crimo's decision, emphasizing the gravity of the charges and his lack of courtroom experience. However, Crimo persisted in his request to proceed without legal counsel.

Prosecutors now have just over two months to prepare for the trial, which is expected to last four to six weeks. Jury selection alone may take anywhere from seven to 10 days or more. The case is considered to be highly complex, with Crimo facing 117 felony counts, including 21 murder charges. If convicted of just two of the murder charges, he could receive a life sentence.

Crimo, 23, pleaded not guilty to the allegations that he fired an assault rifle at parade-goers, resulting in the deaths of seven individuals and injuring dozens more, during a Fourth of July parade in 2022. Previous court hearings had been marked by Crimo's silence, leaving the defense arguments to his former lawyers, Gregory Ticsay and Anton Trizna, who declined to comment on the recent developments.

In a leaked jail video call from September, Crimo made baseless claims that the attack was staged by the FBI. However, there has been no substantiation of these allegations. Crimo has been incarcerated in a maximum-security section of the Lake County Jail after an incident where he was verbally abusive to a correctional officer during a routine cell inspection.

Crimo's father, Robert Crimo Jr., who had also been detained, recently reached a plea deal, pleading guilty to charges of reckless conduct. He admitted to signing his son's gun ownership card application, knowing that his underage son had made menacing statements. The gun ownership card ultimately allowed the younger Crimo to purchase the assault weapons allegedly used in the parade attack. The plea deal was reached to ensure that the son's fair right to a trial would not be jeopardized.

Robert E. Crimo III is scheduled to appear in court again on January 10 for further proceedings.