68-year sentence upheld in Willowbrook rape, stabbing case
An appeals court has upheld a 68-year prison sentence for a man who tried to murder a woman during a 2015 home invasion in Willowbrook, according to the DuPage County state's attorney's office.
The state's 2nd District Appellate Court ruled that DuPage County Judge George Bakalis did not impose an excessive sentence on Londale Madison, 36, of South Bend, Indiana.
Madison pleaded guilty in November 2017 to one count each of home invasion, attempted first-degree murder, aggravated criminal sexual assault and armed robbery. Madison was eligible for a sentence of 28 to 100 years.
He was accused of asking a woman on Aug. 29, 2015, for gasoline money, while she was on the driveway of her home. She refused and locked herself in her home, but Madison forced his way in. He punched and stabbed her, told her she was going to die and sexually assaulted her. He then demanded money and followed her throughout her home, ordering her to open cabinets and drawers, stabbing her every time she failed to locate money.
Madison was arrested three days later in Indiana.
Madison contended the 68-year sentence was excessive and amounted to a de facto life sentence because the judge failed to consider his potential for rehabilitation, and other mitigating factors.
The appeals court disagreed, saying Bakalis ruled there was a lack of rehabilitative potential and that he did consider other mitigating circumstances, but that they "were outweighed by defendant's criminal history, his lack of anger control, and the particularly brutal circumstances of the crimes."