Before the head of Illinois’ Prisoner Review Board (PRB) resigns this week after a parolee with a lengthy criminal history kills a boy and injures his pregnant mother the day after his release, Republican lawmakers This was a warning to the committee and other members. The commission said the appointment process had been politicized.
Leanne Miller resigned as director after agreeing to the release of Crosetti Brand, 37, who was serving a 16-year sentence for burglary and aggravated assault on early parole. Bland was released from Statesville Correctional Center on March 12 with electronic monitoring.
The next morning, a man broke into Lateria Smith’s Chicago apartment and fatally stabbed her son, Jaden Perkins, 11, who had come to the aid of his mother, who had also been stabbed, police said.
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Jaden Perkins stabbed to death (Helen C. Peirce School of International Relations)
Smith and Brando have been dating for some time. But Ms Bland had threatened her via text message in January, and there was also a long history of domestic violence on her part. Despite her criminal history, Bland was still released early.
Miller was appointed by Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker in 2021.
Republican Illinois State Sen. Jason Plummer told Fox News Digital: “I’m sick to my stomach about (the killings).” “When I heard the news, I was just disgusted.”
“The governor is doing this and this boy died,” he added. “For the past three years, the Governor of Illinois has been blunt and reckless with the Prisoner Review Board and criminal justice in general.”
FOX News Digital has reached out to Pritzker’s office.
“(The killing) made me sick to my stomach. I was just disgusted when I heard the news.”
In a Facebook post, the Helen C. Peirce School of International Affairs described Jayden as “a loving, funny, and talented Perth student whose light shined brightly within the school community and beyond.” ” he praised.
“He was a student who stood up for everyone,” one teacher said, according to the post.
Last week, Gus Giordano Dance School released a video of Jayden’s performance.
“Jaden Perkins brought the brightest light to GUS and we are incredibly happy to have been a part of his life. We love Jayden,” the school wrote in a post on X. .
Parole in 2023
Bland was initially released on parole in October 2023, but was returned to prison in February for allegedly violating the terms of his release.
“The PRB hearing determined that the alleged violations did not meet the criteria for detaining him,” a spokesperson for the board told FOX News Digital. “The suspect was released on parole on March 12 and registered victims were notified again.”
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Crosetti Brand, a convicted felon, is accused of stabbing an 11-year-old boy to death and seriously injuring his pregnant mother during a home invasion attack in Chicago earlier this month. . (Chicago Police Department)
Fearing for her safety, Smith, 33, petitioned for a protection order against Bland. A hearing on the matter was scheduled for March 13, the same day Smith and her son were attacked. The State Prisoner Review Board said it was not aware of the court proceedings.
“At the time of the hearing, the Inmate Review Board will indicate that the victim currently has a petition for a protective order at the trial court level or a pending hearing related to that petition. They didn’t have any information,” authorities said. “This is not information commonly provided to boards. As a result, the PRB was unable to consider that information.”
Plumber and other state Senate Republicans have expressed concerns about the 2021 review committee, saying many of Pritzker’s picks will be held far beyond the 60-session deadline required for state Senate confirmation votes. He pointed out that he had a job. The agency is tasked with confirming hundreds of governors’ appointments to state agencies, boards and commissions.
Illinois Sen. Jason Plummer (R) expressed concerns about the Illinois Prisoner Review Board and its appointees. (Illinois General Assembly)
As a workaround, Plummer said, Pritzker plans to rescind the review committee appointments and then reappoint them to reset the countdown for Senate confirmation. This has allowed some members to serve for months or even years without coming to the state Senate for a vote, he said.
Meanwhile, the state is releasing convicted felons at a much faster rate than in years past, Plummer said.
“They were letting child killers go free, they were letting cop killers go free, they were letting rapists go free,” he said.
FOX News Digital has reached out to Pritzker’s office.
Mr. Miller was appointed to the Inmate Review Board in September 2021, and his term was scheduled to expire in January 2027. She had previously been criticized for her role in helping to free a prisoner who murdered her two young daughters in the 1980s.
PRB’s choices are criticized
Aside from the board’s actions, Plummer also criticized Pritzker’s choice of appointees. One of them is Max Cerda, who was appointed in 2021, several years after being released on parole for a series of murders he committed when he was 16 years old. During his time at the PRB, Mr. Cerda voted to release convicted police murderers who were serving time in prison.
Crosetti Bland (left) is accused of attacking and stabbing the pregnant mother of Jaden Perkins, 11, the day after Bland was released on parole. (Chicago Police Department, Helen C. Peirce School of International Relations)
Pritzker withdrew Cerda’s nomination because he didn’t think he had enough support in the Senate.
In a statement Monday announcing Miller’s resignation, Pritzker said the 11-member board must be able to operate independently.
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“It is clear that the evidence in this case was not given the careful consideration that victims of domestic violence deserve, and I will ensure that additional safeguards and training are put in place to prevent a tragedy like this from happening again.” “I am committed to doing so,” he said.
On the same day, Pritzker announced the resignation of PRB Chairman Donald Shelton, who has served on the board since 2012.
