CHICAGO (WLS) — On Tuesday, Crosetti Brand was sentenced to life imprisonment for a stabbing incident in Edgewater last year that resulted in the death of an 11-year-old boy and injuries to his pregnant mother.
Before that ruling was handed down, Brand told the judge, “Sentence me to what you’re going to sentence me.”
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Brand was handed a life sentence for first-degree murder and received consecutive 60-year sentences for attempted murder, aggravated domestic battery, and home invasion.
The attack happened in March 2024, just a day after Brand was released on parole.
According to investigators, Brand waited for his former girlfriend, Laterria Smith, outside her Edgewater apartment before attacking her.
Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Daniel Hanichak told the judge on Tuesday, “This was an act of rage, jealousy and violence.”
Smith’s son, 11-year-old Jayden Perkins, was stabbed once in the chest while trying to protect his mother. He died from his injuries.
Smith, who was pregnant at the time of the attack, was stabbed 15 times.
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It all happened in front of Jayden’s 5-year-old brother.
In court, prosecutors declared that Brand “could never be rehabilitated,” describing him as a “pathetic, lifelong criminal,” and stated that Jayden’s ultimate sacrifice “ended the defendant’s reign of terror.”
“Jayden is the hero. He is the hero out of all of this, and we appreciate the justice,” said Titus Washington, Jayden’s great-uncle.
Throughout his sentencing hearing, which lasted several hours, Brand, who was present via Zoom, frequently objected as he had during the trial. All of his objections on Tuesday were overruled.
In a victim impact statement, Smith expressed to the court, “The pain you have caused to me and my son is indescribable. I have to endure this pain for the rest of my life. You have destroyed my life.”
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Jayden’s father, Christopher Perkins, also spoke, declaring, “You shouldn’t have harmed my baby… You will face the consequences for your actions. You think it ends with this court date.”
The judge stopped his statement, deeming it threatening, and asked Jayden’s father to leave court.
Christopher Perkins could be heard crying in a hallway outside the courtroom but was allowed to return and apologized to the judge.
“I miss my baby, bro. It’s senseless,” he said. “It ain’t going to be a lot of relief. We still missing my baby. It’s just a little bit of closure for us, that’s all.”
During the weeks-long trial, Brand represented himself and told jurors it was Smith who had the knife and stabbed her own son.
Jayden’s family members left the court at times during the emotional trial.
The jury ultimately found Brand guilty on all charges in June.
Following the tragedy, two members of the Illinois Prisoner Review Board stepped down.
Family members of Smith and Jayden were seen entering the hearing on Tuesday. They were present throughout the trial.
Smith and her family members have been pushing for change in the way domestic violence cases are handled in Illinois in an effort to prevent other tragedies.
Brand said he plans to appeal and agreed to be appointed a public defender in those efforts.
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