In a move to shake up the Illinois Prisoner Review Board after a wave of criticism, Gov. J.B. Pritzker tapped James Montgomery Jr. for the newly minted post of executive director. The decision follows a recent fracas where a paroled man was charged with the murder of an 11-year-old boy, just one day after his release. Montgomery, a previous mayor of Taylorville, Illinois, and a Massachusetts sheriff's department official, awaits confirmation from the state Senate.
The controversy ignited when Crosetti Brand, set free by the review board, allegedly attacked his pregnant ex-girlfriend and killed her son, Jayden Perkins. Brand was out on parole despite previous allegations of trying to break into the victims' home. Brand's release was greenlit, despite a denied order of protection sought by the ex-girlfriend, Laterria Smith, as CBS News reported.
Montgomery's role is to oversee administrative operations and the enhancement of domestic violence training among board members, according to the governor's office. Pritzker's office stated, "Montgomery’s role will be to ensure that the agency is operating effectively and efficiently to ensure that board members have the information and training they need to make their decisions," as The Chicago Tribune stated.
Following the tragedy, which sparked the resignations of the board's chair, Donald Shelton, and member LeAnn Miller, Republicans have pressed for an overhaul. They demand more stringent requirements for board experience and tougher penalties for protection order violations, as indicated by Senate Republican leader John Curran. Curran remains unimpressed by the appointment, saying "Gov. Pritzker has still failed to provide a transparent accounting of the breakdown in the PRB process that led to the deadly release of Crosetti Brand," per statements obtained by The Chicago Tribune.
Montgomery, pulling from his experience as both an Illinois mayor and a director of administrative services in Suffolk County, is set to fill the void left by Shelton and Miller. His appointment marks Governor Pritzker's pledge to reform the board’s approach to domestic violence, amid public outcry for greater accountability in the parole process and safeguarding the community from similar incidents. The search for replacements on the board continues, as echoed by Pritzker's spokesperson Olivia Kuncio.
