Shortly after his arrest in early 2000, Andre Crawford gave videotaped confessions about his rape and murder of 11 South Side women between 1993 and 1999. A twelfth woman, allegedly the only survivor of Crawford's brutal crime spree, recently testified (Tribune) about her violent rape and near-murder.
Photos of the woman's face following the attack -- "hair matted with blood around a gaping wound" -- also were shown in the Cook County courtroom during her testimony. She spent four months in a hospital recovering from her serious wounds.
The woman told the court that twelve years ago while she was walking home, Crawford offered her drugs. Then, she said, he forced her into an abandoned building and ordered her to disrobe, after which she hit him and tried to run. Crawford then stabbed her in the back, raped her, struck her repeatedly with a two-by-four and left her for dead, according to her testimony.
Crawford quietly took notes during the hearing as his alleged victim recounted the harrowing details.
It's unclear what options Crawford's Chicago criminal attorney has for his client, who confessed to the rapes and murders, is linked to eight of the victims through DNA evidence and now faces sworn testimony by the only victim able to escape death.
Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty -- but if he if did commit those crimes (hello, DNA evidence, confessions, witness testimony), proponents of capital punishment may use his case as a strong argument in favor of reinstating Illinois' death penalty.
It took 10 years for Crawford's case to get to trial because of multiple pretrial motions by defense and the workload associated with 12 victims, making Crawford Cook County Jail's longest-serving pre-trial inmate. He's charged with 12 counts of rape, 11 counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.
- How to Conduct Yourself in Court (FindLaw)
- DNA Evidence: It's in Your Genes (FindLaw)
- Suspect In Chicago Killings To Stand Trial After 10 Years (Tribune)
- Timeline of the Death Penalty in Illinois (Tribune)
