COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — A woman stabbed her boyfriend to death because he pulled her hair during an argument, prosecutors said Wednesday.
Vanessa Sanders, 38, was captured on cellphone video Saturday saying, "He pulled my motherf------ hair! I swear to God I'll kill the b----. I swear for all living God I'm killing that b----," Assistant State's Attorney Robert Kline said during a bond hearing Wednesday.
Later that evening, Sanders did just that, prosecutors said, stabbing 28-year-old Antone Sims multiple times and killing him.
Sanders' attorney, Nir Basse, claims Sanders acted in self-defense. In court Wednesday, Basse said Sims beat Sanders earlier that day — punching, hitting and dragging her out of a car. He said Sanders had bruises on her face and knees that prove she was abused.
Prosecutors painted a different picture. According to Kline, Sanders and Sims were in "an intermittent romantic relationship" and had been inside a Roseland home late Saturday so that Sims could do someone's hair.
The pair got into an argument, which soon turned physical, Kline said. Portions of the fight and argument — including Sanders' threat to kill Sims — were captured on cellphone video by a witness, he added.
After the fight, Sims tried to calm Sanders down, prosecutors said. He asked her for a kiss and to go for a walk, but Sanders declined, Kline said. As Sims walked away, Kline said, he tripped and fell.
At that point, Sanders stood over Sims and stabbed him once in his chest, prosecutors said. She continued to stab Sims as she shouted and he struggled to breathe, Kline said.
One witness saw the attack, prosecutors said, and a second witness tried to administer CPR as Sanders ran away.
No knife was recovered from the scene, but a witness said a kitchen knife was missing from the home in the 11500 block of South Perry Avenue, Kline said.
Sims died at Advocate Christ Medical Center, and Sanders turned herself in Sunday night, authorities said.
On Wednesday, Basse asked Cook County Judge Laura Sullivan for a low bond, pointing out that Sanders turned herself in and was not a flight risk. Sanders is a life-long Bronzeville resident, Basse said, and is married (not to Sims) with six children.
Judge Sullivan on Wednesday ordered Sanders held in lieu of $500,000 bail.
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