CHICAGO (WLS) — A jury reached a guilty verdict for Crosetti Brand after deliberations began Thursday.
Brand was convicted of several crimes including aggravated domestic battery, attempted first-degree murder, home invasion, and two counts of first-degree murder.
Post-trial motions will begin June 30.
This is a breaking news report. The following is from a previous report.
Brand is the man who was accused of killing 11-year-old Jayden Perkins and injuring his pregnant mom in Edgewater.
The family of a slain 11-year-old was emotional during closing arguments Thursday.
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Brand’s former girlfriend, Laterria Smith, was stabbed 11 times in the incident.
The attack happened in March of last year, just a day after Brand was released on parole.
Now, he’s facing murder and attempted murder charges.
Perkins was stabbed once in the chest and died.
Brand is representing himself in court.
The defense and prosecutors rested Thursday.
Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke was in the gallery watching closing arguments.
A Cook County prosecutor argued before jurors Brand held true to his death threats, and came after Smith hours after he was released from jail.
“Jayden was just 11 years old, courageous and strong. Unfortunately, he was overpowered by an adult man with a knife,” stated Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Stephanie Gersch. “This young boy attempted to protect his mother, but tragically lost his own life instead.”
In the defense closing arguments, Brand told jurors it was Smith who had a knife.
“The defendant was not attempting crime. The defendant was attempting to defend himself,” Brand said. “Defending yourself is not a crime.”
He went on to argue, “This was cold-blooded cruelty. Laterria Smith killed her own son.”
During the closing arguments, Perkins’ mother and relatives left the court at times, overwhelmed with emotion.
Perkins’ grandmother left court early on, and let out a loud scream that could be heard inside the court room.
Brand and Smith had been in an on-and-off relationship since 2006. On a previous occasion, Brand assaulted Smith after she disembarked from a bus, leading to a protective order being issued.
The jury got the case Thursday evening.
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