Prisoner Review Board Members Quit After Parolee Accused of Murdering 11-Year-Old Boy
A photo of Jayden Perkins, a 11-year-old boy who was stabbed to death in his home, at a memorial on March 15. (Photo: Chicago Tribune)
NOTE: This story was originally posted for subscribers only. To receive subscriber-only newsletters and content, click here.
Two members of the Illinois Prisoner Review Board, including the board chairman, have resigned after the board released a parolee with a history of domestic violence and is accused of killing the 11-year-old son of an ex-girlfriend after his release.
Board Chairman Donald Shelton and board member LeAnn Miller resigned Monday.
Miller allegedly wrote the order that allowed Crosetti Brand out of prison. The day after his release, Brand allegedly attacked a pregnant former girlfriend. Her son, 11-year-old Jayden Perkins attempted to protect his mother, and Brand is accused of stabbing the boy multiple times, killing him.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Brand was granted mandatory supervised release — Illinois’ typical version of parole — in October, placed on GPS monitoring and ordered not to contact another woman he attacked in 2015 as well as Jayden’s mother, records show. The parole release was for the 2015 case in which Brand was originally sentenced to 16 years in prison.
Miller was the first to resign Monday, a move seemingly encouraged by Pritzker.
“I believe LeAnn Miller has made the correct decision in stepping down from her role,” Pritzker said in a 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.”
Shelton resigned a few hours later. Pritzker praised the former Champaign Police officer as a “model of dedication to public service.”
Shelton was originally appointed by former Gov. Pat Quinn in 2012. Pritzker appointed Miller in 2021. Both are Republicans.
Sen. Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville), who has been a frequent critic of Pritzker’s PRB appointments, said the case made him “sick to his stomach.”
“This tragedy could have been avoided. This man never should have been released and this innocent child should still be alive,” Plummer said in a statement. “It’s well past time that the Governor and his allies start putting Illinoisans ahead of activists. We need reforms at the PRB that will keep our families and communities safe.”
In his statement Monday, Pritzker has said he has asked the PRB to “design and implement expanded training for PRB members related to handling domestic violence cases.”
The Governor’s office also claims to have directed the PRB and Department of Corrections to review rules and procedures domestic violence cases and to determine whether changes are necessary. The administration claimed it may pursue broader statutory or policy changes needed to strengthen PRB’s review of similar cases moving forward.
