Accused kidnapper's attorney: Wait for 'whole story'
Brendt Christensen has the support of his family as federal authorities proceed on a kidnapping charge against him in connection with the disappearance of visiting University of Illinois scholar Yingying Zhang, his lawyer said.
“The family members that I have spoken to are 100 percent supporting him, and they’re scrambling to adjust their schedules to be here to support him, but there’s no firm plans in terms of who is coming where and when,” said Evan Bruno, of the Urbana-based Bruno Law Firm.
Bruno said one of his client’s local family members is his wife, whom he declined to name, and said the couple doesn’t have children. Christensen isn’t currently employed, he said.
“He just graduated, and his next step is to look for a job, which he has been doing,” Bruno said.
Since the arrest, Christensen has been holding up well, his attorney said.
“This is all a foreign thing to him. He has no criminal history,” Bruno said. “He has a speeding ticket, I think, but that’s about it. He’s been trying to maintain a positive attitude. He knows that this is going to be a long process and I think he’s prepared for it