The daddy of a person accused of taking pictures at a Fourth of July navy parade in a Chicago suburb pleaded responsible to seven misdemeanors Monday in a case that centered on how his son obtained a gun license.
Robert Cremo Jr. entered his plea as his trial was about to start in Lake County Circuit Courtroom, in Waukegan, Illinois. Decide George Strickland instantly sentenced him to 60 days in jail, beginning subsequent week, plus 100 hours of group service.
Cremo Jr. has been charged with seven felony counts of reckless conduct — one for every particular person his son, Robert Cremo III, is accused of killing in Highland Park on Independence Day final yr.
In 2019, when Crimo III was 19, he was too younger to use for his personal gun license, however may apply sponsored by a guardian or guardian. His father took care of his software, though a relative had instructed police a number of months earlier that Cremo III had a group of knives and had threatened to “kill everybody.”
Cremo Jr. additionally was conscious that his son had expressed suicidal ideas, state Legal professional Eric Reinhart stated.
Regardless of the proof, Reinhart instructed reporters that the plea cope with jail time was a great consequence.
“We despatched a sign to different prosecutors, to different cops on this nation, to different dad and mom, that they must be held accountable,” he stated. “The danger of dropping this revolutionary trial – and never making any mark – was too nice for our trial group.”
Cremo Jr. pleaded responsible to misdemeanor reckless conduct to spare the Highland Park group from repeating “these tragic occasions,” protection lawyer George Gomez stated.
Cremo Jr. was additionally involved about his son’s capacity to get a good trial if particulars and proof associated to the taking pictures have been broadly publicized, Gomez stated.
“Mr. Cremo finally didn’t need his household to be torn aside on the general public stage any greater than it already was,” Gomez stated.
Gun violence advocates say they’re inspired that police and prosecutors are investigating anybody who could have contributed to the assault. However authorized consultants say felony legal responsibility could also be troublesome to show towards the shooter’s guardian or guardian. Typically, they face civil lawsuits the place authorized requirements of proof are much less stringent.
There are exceptions. In Michigan, the dad and mom of a young person who killed 4 college students at Oxford Excessive College face manslaughter prices. James and Jennifer Crombley have been charged with offering a gun to Ethan Crombley and ignoring his psychological well being wants.
In Illinois, Cremo III faces 21 counts of first-degree homicide, 48 counts of tried homicide, and 48 counts of aggravated battery. Prosecutors say he admitted to being the gunman when he was arrested hours after the taking pictures in Highland Park. No trial date has been set.
