Illinois board member resigns after parolee kills boy, injures pregnant ex-girlfriend in attack, governor says

A member of the Illinois Prisoner Review Board who signed off on the release of a man with a long criminal record for domestic violence who allegedly killed an 11-year-old boy and injured his pregnant ex-girlfriend a day after walking free has resigned. 

LeAnn Miller conducted the hearing for Crosetti Brand, 37, who was serving a 16-year sentence for a home invasion and aggravated assault when he was paroled early, Gov. JB Pritzker said. 

“The Prisoner Review Board must be able to operate independently as they review enormously difficult cases, but I believe LeAnn Miller has made the correct decision in stepping down from her role.” Pritzker said in a Monday statement. “It is clear that evidence in this case was not given the careful consideration that victims of domestic violence deserve and I am committed to ensuring additional safeguards and training are in place to prevent tragedies like this from happening again.”

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Convicted felon Crosetti Brand has been charged with fatally stabbing an 11-year-old boy and seriously injuring his pregnant mother in a home invasion attack in Chicago on Wednesday. (Chicago Police Department)

Brand is charged with several crimes ranging from first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder for the vicious attack that killed Jayden Perkins and injured Laterria Smith. 

Brand was released from the Stateville Correctional Center with electronic monitoring on March 12 and allegedly stabbed Perkins as he came to the aid of his mother, who was also stabbed, said police. The knife wound severed a major artery and the boy bled to death. 

Perkins’ 5-year-old brother witnessed the attack on his family but was unharmed. Brand was arrested two hours after the stabbing. 

Authorities said Smith was getting the boys ready for school when Brand broke into their home around 8 a.m. on March 13. Brand and Smith had a prior relationship more than 15 years ago while he was parole with electronic monitoring in October. 

While on parole, he allegedly threatened Smith via text messages and showed up at her home despite her having an order of protection against him. He was sent back to prison in February for violating the conditions of his parole before being paroled again weeks ago. 

In 2015, Brand attacked the same woman just four days after she broke off their dating relationship,

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker participates in a debate with Republican gubernatorial challenger, state Sen. Darren Bailey, at the WGN9 studios, Oct. 18, 2022, in Chicago.  (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)

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The Illinois Prisoner Review Board, an independent, 15-person body, imposes release conditions for those in prison and conducts hearings to determine whether to grant or deny parole. It also makes recommendations to the governor about clemency petitions, according to the board’s website. 

Pritzker said the board and the Illinois Department of Corrections will review rules and procedures for receiving information related to cases involving domestic violence. 

Miller was appointed to the board in 2021. Pritzker said he would appoint a new member. 

Fox News Digital Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.