Jury selection begins in trial of man accused of killing boy trying to protect mother in Edgewater

11-year-old Jayden Perkins stabbed to death in 2024

ByABC7 Chicago Digital Team WLS logo
Friday, May 9, 2025
Trial begins for man accused of killing boy trying to protect mother
Jury selection has begun in Crosetti Brand's murder trial. He is charged in Jayden Perkins' stabbing death in Edgewater last year.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Jury selection began Friday for the trial of the man accused of killing an 11-year-old boy in Edgewater last year.

Crosetti Brand faces several charges, including first-degree murder.

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Jayden Perkins was stabbed to death, while trying to protect his mom in March of 2024.

His mother, who was pregnant at the time, was also seriously hurt.

Brand was released on parole the day before the attack.

Laterria Smith filed a wrongful-death lawsuit, claiming that her son's killing was preventable.

The death of Perkins and a woman whose husband was on electronic monitoring when he reportedly killed her on the northwest side have led to the Cook County State's Attorney's Office making domestic violence cases a priority.

You can contact the Illinois domestic violence hotline at 1-877-863-6338 click here for more information.

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