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A member of Illinois’ Prison Review Board resigned on Monday after supporting the release of a man who stabbed his ex-girlfriend and killed her 11-year-old son one day after being freed from prison.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker, writing in a news release, said board member LeAnn Miller, who conducted a parole hearing for Crosetti Brand, stepped down, explaining he believed she made the “correct decision” in doing so.
Brand forced his way into his ex-girlfriend’s Edgewater apartment on March 13 as she was preparing to take her 11-year-old son, Jayden Perkins, and his 6-year-old brother to school, according to court documents. Brand repeatedly stabbed the ex-girlfriend, whom he had a relationship with about 15 years ago, authorities stated. Then, when Jayden tried to intervene and protect his mother, Brand stabbed him, police said.
Chicago police previously said Brand had a “history of domestic abuse” and three orders of protection against him. He most recently served time in prison for violating an order of protection while on parole from a 16-year sentence for home invasion and aggravated assault.
Court records revealed a long history of domestic violence targeting the boy’s mother, who repeatedly filed orders of protection against Brand and notified authorities. Both police and prosecutors questioned why he had been granted parole given his history of violence.
“Let me start by saying this is something that should have never happened,” Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling said at a previous news conference following the stabbing that killed Jayden and wounded his mother.
Weeks before the attack, the boy’s mother filed a new order of protection, explaining that Brand sent text messages saying he would kill her and her family, documents revealed. He later showed up at the ex-girlfriend’s house and threatened to break in.
However, the request for an order of protection was denied by a Cook County judge.
Pritzker has since ordered the Prison Review Board to enlist experts to create expanded training for board members related to handling domestic violence incidents. Both the parole board and the Illinois Department of Corrections were also directed to review rules and procedures for receiving information pertaining to domestic violence cases, according to the news release.
Jayden’s mother was hospitalized following the attack and expected to survive her injuries.
Brand was taken into custody on the day of the stabbing and later charged with first-degree murder, home invasion with a dangerous weapon, aggravated domestic battery and violation of an order of protection, among others.
Along with the news of Miller’s departure, Prizker also announced the resignation of Prisoner Review Board Chair Donald Shelton on Monday. However, it wasn’t immediately clear if his resignation was connected to Brand’s case.
Following the resignations of Miller and Shelton, Illinois Senate Republican Leader John Curran, R-Downers Grove, issued a statement, calling for reforms to the Prison Review Board.
“Sadly, it is clear that the serious reforms that we have been calling for at the Prisoner Review Board are needed now more than ever,” Curran said. “This is another example of Gov. Pritzker failing to oversee an agency under his direct control. His attention should be focused on the life and death matters of our state.”