CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Bail reform has meant fewer defendants must post bond, but a Cook County judge denied bond Sunday for a Chicago man charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault and attempted kidnapping.
Anthony Brown, 26, of Lawndale, was accused of sexually assaulting a woman on Lower Michigan Avenue shortly after meeting her downtown last week. He has since been charged with felony counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault and attempted kidnapping in connection to the attack.
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According to Assistant State’s Attorney Ryan DeGroot, the 20-year-old woman was with her boyfriend on Friday at Tavern on Rush, located at 1031 N. Rush St., when they got into an argument. The woman walked off and her boyfriend followed until they reached the intersection of Rush and Delaware Place, prosecutors said, at which point she turned east toward Michigan and he continued southbound.
Then DeGroot said a police camera picked up the woman walking with Brown south on Michigan near Ohio Street. Brown was allegedly shown on video putting his arm around the woman, who was seen stumbling. The woman told investigators she does not remember how she met Brown.
DeGroot then said the woman walked down the stairs to Lower Michigan, where a license plate reader camera showed she was "clearly intoxicated" and Brown “was constantly attempting to hold onto [her]," the Sun-Times reported.
The woman is then seen attempting to pick up a pair of shoes just before 1 a.m., when Brown wrapped his arms around her from behind and “attempted to drag her back toward a red Jeep” just out of the camera’s view, DeGroot said.
According to the Sun-Times, DeGroot said the woman then struggled with Brown and tried to “walk free." Witnesses stopped to check on the woman, but she told the passersby that she was OK before starting to run in the direction of the Jeep and Brown followed.
The owner of the Jeep then saw the victim lying inside the vehicle face down, apparently unconscious with Brown on top of her, DeGroot said.
The owner of the Jeep called 911, prompting a sergeant to respond, the Sun-Times reported. After witnessing the alleged sexual assault, the sergeant lifted Brown off the woman and placed him in custody.
Cook County Judge Mary Marubio said she couldn’t find any conditions she could impose that would "protect the community, because I would have to protect every single woman walking in the City of Chicago that you would happen to encounter."
Brown’s next court date was set for Monday.
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