Stephen Shapiro (Photo courtesy of Mayer Brown)

Almost a year and a half after Mayer Brown partner and appellate practice founder Stephen Shapiro was gunned down in his home in Chicago, the murder case against his brother-in-law is still winding slowly toward trial.

Following a Tuesday status hearing in John Gately III's case at the Cook County 2nd Municipal District Courthouse in Skokie, Illinois, Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Andreana Turano said she is "hopeful" that a trial date will be set for sometime in 2020.

The case against Gately, who is charged with murdering Shapiro and attempting to murder his sister and Shapiro's wife, Joan Gately Shapiro, on Aug. 13, 2018, is still in discovery. Appearing before Circuit Judge Aleksandra Gillespie, Turano said she has subpoenaed fingerprint records. She declined to comment further to an ALM reporter.

Turano has turned over additional discovery to Gately's public defender, Caroline Glennon, but Glennon told Gillespie she was having technology issues in accessing those materials.

John Gately III (Courtesy of Northfield Police)

Gately was present for Tuesday's brief hearing, which lasted about 90 seconds, and said little. A relative of Stephen Shapiro's was also present for the hearing. She said she attends each hearing so she can provide updates to the rest of the family, and declined to comment further.

Another status hearing was set for Jan. 28, 2020.

Gately earlier this year asked the court for permission to sell his property in order to pay his bills, including six firearms that had been recovered by the Northfield Police Department. Gillespie denied Gately's motion in July, noting that discovery had not been completed.

A U.S. deputy solicitor general under President Ronald Reagan, Shapiro launched Mayer Brown's U.S. Supreme Court and appellate practice, arguing before the nation's highest court over 30 times in his career.

At an August 2018 bond hearing, Turano alleged Gately killed Shapiro and attempted to kill his sister after months of arguments over the money they had given him for rent and expenses; they had recently told Gately they would "no longer just give him money," Turano said.

After allegedly shooting Shapiro in the chest, Gately allegedly attempted to kill his sister but his gun misfired, Turano said. Joan Shapiro fled her Northfield home and called the police; Gately returned to his Winnetka apartment, where he was arrested after a standoff with a SWAT team.

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