Crime & Safety
Accused Shooter in Colin Nutter Murder Case Gets New Trial Date
A judge set Philip Vatamaniuc's court date for June 27 after prosecutors asked for more time in the case Tuesday.
The trial for one of the three defendants charged in the 2013 murder of Colin Nutter has been rescheduled for late June at the earliest, the Pioneer Press reports.
On Tuesday, Lake County Circuit Judge Victoria Rossetti set June 27 as the new court date for Philip Vatamaniuc, the Highland Park man who another defendant identified as the one who shot Nutter, 20. Prosecutors requested the new trial date in order to have more time to prepare their case.
Vatamaniuc, Benjamin Schenk and Michael Coffee are accused of setting up a marijuana deal with Nutter on June 3, 2013, and then trying to steal Nutter's pot and car. Nutter, of Highland Park, died of a gunshot wound to the head, and his body was found off the Edens Expressway in Wilmette.
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More Patch Coverage of the Colin Cutter Murder Case:
- Drug Deal Turned Deadly, HP Teens Among Accused
- Defendant in Murder Case Seeks Plea Deal
- Private Conference Held for 1 Charged with Murder
- Defendants in Colin Nutter Murder Case Go on Trial
- Trial Dates Postponed for 3 Charged with Colin Nutter's Murder
- Nutter Shooting Suspect Threw Chair at Jail Guard
- Nutter Murder Suspect IDs Another as Shooter
Earlier this month, Schenk struck a deal with prosecutors, pleading guilty to first-degree murder in exchange to testifying against Vatamaniuc and Coffee. Part of Schenk's testimony, which he previewed for the judge, included identifying Vatamaniuc as the shooter.
Find out what's happening in Highland Parkfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Schenk also told the judge that either he or Coffee convinced Vatamaniuc to pull the trigger in order to impress a Chicago street gang he wanted to join.
State law allows all three defendants to be found responsible for the murder, and they could face prison sentences between 20 to 60 years if convicted. The sentence for the convicted shooter could be longer.
Schenk's next court date in the case is April 26. He also faces an aggravated battery charge after being accused of punching and throwing a chair at a Lake County Jail corrections officer earlier this year.
Coffee's trial is set for May 23.
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