March 12--Defense attorneys for Sarah Gumm, the Waukegan babysitter accused of murdering a 3-month-old girl, want her trial pushed back to June 1.
Gumm, 36, is currently scheduled for trial on April 27, though it was has been delayed before. The case dates back to July 27, 2012, when Gumm allegedly slammed the baby's head on a table when the girl, Rylan Koopmeiners, became fussy while Gumm was changing her diaper. Authorities have said Gumm left the child alone twice earlier that day.
Prosecutors objected to another trial delay. Lake County Circuit Court Judge Victoria Rossetti is expected to rule it Tuesday.
"This case has been pending for quite some time. ... We can't keep continuing it over and over again," Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Eric Kalata said at a pretrial hearing Thursday.
But attorney Greg Nikitas, who joined Gumm's defense team in February, said he needed more time to get up to speed on a complicated case.
"I don't think it's fair to Ms. Gumm to ask us to be ready in a month," another defense attorney, Jed Stone, said in court Thursday.
Though Gumm's attorneys had previously indicated that she wanted to go to trial and cease plea deal talks, Nikitas said after the hearing that the defense team will "explore all of Sarah's options" for resolving the case.
Kalata said the two sides were "not even close" to a plea deal.
Gumm appeared in court Thursday in handcuffs and shackles wearing the dark blue prison uniform, her long brown hair now reaching down to the middle of her back.
She faces charges of first-degree murder and aggravated battery.
gtrotter@tribpub.com
