Man accused of killing 11-year-old, wounding pregnant mother takes stand as own witness, lawyer

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Crosetti Brand, the man charged with stabbing an 11-year-old boy to death and seriously hurting the boy's pregnant mother in Edgewater last year took the stand Monday in his own defense.

Brand is representing himself in his murder trial, as he faces more than a dozen charges.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

Monday was his first day of testimony at the Cook County Courthouse.

In setting the rules for Monday's testimony, the judge made it clear that she did not expect Brand to act like he had two personalities. And so it was that he took to the stand, where he both delivered his testimony, while at the same time directing courtroom personnel to play certain pieces of evidence to show the jury.

Brand was acting both as witness and defense attorney, delivering his testimony to the jury tasked with determining his fate.

SEE MORE: Neighbor testifies in trial of Chicago man accused of stabbing boy to death: 'It was shocking'

"No relationship is perfect," Brand said on the stand. "Me and Laterria Smith had a wild-type relationship. One minute we hated each other, the other we were wild for each other."

Brand is charged with the attempted murder of his then-pregnant ex-girlfriend, Smith, and the murder of her 11-year-old son, Jayden Perkins, who prosecutors say was stabbed to death, as he came to his mother's defense.

Brand, who chose to forgo his right to an attorney, on Monday denied killing the boy.

He said an argument broke out between him and Smith the morning after he had spent the night at her apartment.

"I didn't kill Jayden Perkins," Brand said. "I bear witness to his own mother stabbing him. When she came towards me, she put it in him."

Brand's story contradicts testimony provided earlier in the trial by Smith's ex-fiancé, who says he had just left the couple's home 45 minutes before his 5-year-old son called, saying his brother and his mother were dead.

The March 13, 2024, attack took place one day after Brand was released from prison a convicted felon with a history of violence against women.

Smith had previously taken out an order of protection against him.

Smith has filed a civil lawsuit against the Prisoner Review Board that approved his release. Two of its members resigned in the aftermath of the attack.

Lawmakers last month approved a bill that emphasizes domestic violence awareness training for review board members.

It's not clear whether Brand will call any other witnesses. If he rests his defense, the case could go to the jury as soon as Tuesday.