Crisis Responder: Stabbing Suspect Previously Arrested 98 Times; This Could Have Been Prevented
Chicago (CBS) - The family of murder victim Miguel Beedle wants to know why the man accused of stabbing him to death in a River North alley wasn't already behind bars. Prior to last month's murder, that suspect had been arrested nearly 100 times.
"That was the worst day of my life," says Barbara Misiur after learning her fiancé and father of her three young children Miguel Beedle had been murdered. "He was a great man. He shouldn't have died that way on the streets."
Beedle's family expressed frustration and anger Thursday that the suspect accused of killing Miguel Beedle was even on the streets.
"That person should not be on the street. It's so wrong on so many levels. My family is a victim of the whole Cook County jail system, as well as Gino Bassett," says Misiur.
According to prosecutors, 56 year old Gino Bassett Sr. stabbed Beedle in the neck during a robbery. Prosecutors say as an adult, Bassett had been arrested at least 98 times. His record shows charges including burglary, armed robbery, aggravated assault, and resisting a police officer.
Chicago police say around 2:30 am on March 23, Bassett approached Beedle in a River North alley near State and Hubbard Streets and fatally stabbed him. The motive appears to be robbery because cash Beedle was seen counting by a witness outside a club shortly before his murder was never located by police.
Crisis Responder, Andrew Holmes, says the fact that Bassett was on the street without the help he needed is unacceptable, saying, "The system has failed. He has multiple felonies. This could have been prevented.
According to investigators, Bassett was caught on video forcing Beedle farther back into the alley where he was stabbed. Several surveillance cameras also captured images of Bassett before and after the stabbing, including during his get-away on the CTA redline.
Bassett is charged with first degree murder and aggravated assault using a deadly weapon. He remains in jail after a judge ordered him to be held without bond.