Illinois Stabbing Spree Leaves 4 Dead, Suspect in Custody After Rampage

A member of the Illinois Prisoner Review Board PRB resigned after a parolee with a lengthy criminal history killed a boy and injured his pregnant mother a day after being released from the Stateville Correctional Center with electronic monitoring The resignation has sparked outrage among Republican lawmakers who had already been sounding alarms over the appointment process and politicization of the board

LeAnn Millers Resignation

LeAnn Miller who was appointed in 2021 by Democratic Gov JB Pritzker quit the board after signing off on the release of Crosetti Brand 37 who was serving a 16year sentence for a home invasion and aggravated assault Brand was paroled early and subsequently forced his way into Laterria Smiths Chicago apartment fatally stabbing her 11yearold son Jayden Perkins as he came to the aid of his mother who was also stabbed

Republican Lawmakers Response

Republican Illinois state Sen Jason Plummer condemned the incident expressing disgust and outrage He criticized the governors attitude towards the Prisoner Review Board and the criminal justice system as a whole Plummer and other state senate Republicans had previously voiced concerns about the review board highlighting the politicization of the appointment process and the release of convicted felons

Victims Advocacy for Protection Order

Fearing for her safety Laterria Smith had begged for a protection order against Brand and a hearing on the matter was scheduled for March 13 the same day Smith and her son were attacked However the state Prisoner Review Board claimed it wasnt aware of the court proceeding indicating a lack of crucial information during the parole review process

Controversial Appointees and Resignations

Aside from Millers resignation another appointee Max Cerda drew criticism for his appointment to the PRB despite his criminal history His presence on the board led to further scrutiny of the appointees chosen by Gov Pritzker In response to Millers resignation Pritzker stressed the need for additional safeguards and training to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future Additionally PRB chair Donald Shelton also announced his resignation signaling a broader shakeup within the board

In the aftermath of this tragic incident questions surrounding the parole review process and the independence of the Prisoner Review Board have come to the forefront prompting calls for reform and increased accountability within the criminal justice system