Man Pleads Guilty to Vicious Downtown Attack
A man with a troubling history of random assaults in the Loop has admitted to brutally assaulting a man with a pipe in downtown Chicago. Despite his violent past, the resolution of the case will not result in any prison time for the offender.
On December 8, 2022, at around 9:45 a.m., a 53-year-old man was walking in the 100 block of West Madison Street when Pierre Thorne launched a sudden attack on him with a metal object, as per prosecutors.
Court documents reveal that Thorne, aged 32, picked up the object, believed to be a metal pipe, from the ground, approached the victim from behind, whom he had no prior acquaintance with, and struck him on the back of his head. The victim immediately collapsed to the ground, bleeding profusely from the head. He sustained further injuries to his face upon impact with the pavement.
The victim’s injuries included the loss of several teeth, multiple facial and jaw fractures, a nasal injury, cuts to the chin and outer scalp, and an abrasion to his left eye. He underwent multiple reconstructive surgeries, resulting in permanent facial disfigurement, according to prosecutors.
Through a comparison of CPD surveillance footage with Secretary of State records, investigators identified Thorne as a potential suspect. Subsequently, Thorne’s image was included in a photo line-up, leading a witness to positively identify him as the assailant.
Prosecutors disclosed that Thorne had been arrested 57 times before his 30th birthday, with numerous misdemeanor convictions involving unprovoked assaults in downtown Chicago.
Thorne has now entered a guilty plea to a charge of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm. Judge Joanne Rosado sentenced him to four years in prison. However, considering the 752 days spent in jail and the standard 50% sentence reduction, Thorne will not serve any additional time behind bars.
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