Cook County prosecutors have dropped murder charges against Carlishia Hood and her 14-year-old son in the shooting death of a man during a fight in a restaurant in West Pullman this month. This follows a video from inside the restaurant showing the man identified as Jeremy Brown punching the woman several times before he was shot by the teen.
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office said in a statement Monday, “Based upon the facts, evidence, and the law we are unable to meet our burden of proof in the prosecution of these cases.” The police initially arrested Hood and her son on Wednesday over the fatal shooting of 32-year-old Brown. Hood had been ordered held on a $3 million bond while her son was charged as a juvenile and was being held without bail.
According to prosecutors, Hood went inside Maxwell Street Express, 11656 S. Halsted St. around 11 p.m. on June 18 to pick up food while her son was in the car waiting for her. As she waited in line, she got into an argument with Brown, per prosecutors. Hood subsequently began texting her son and pointing to him outside. Her son entered Maxwell’s and stood in the doorway as the argument turned into a fight. Brown punched Hood in the head three times, according to prosecutors, and that was when Hood’s son pulled out a firearm and shot the victim in the back.
Brown fled the restaurant, but Hood’s son followed him outside and fired more shots after Hood told him to shoot and kill him, prosecutors said. Brown was shot twice in the back and died from his injuries later.
Hood would later turn herself in to police, who recovered an unloaded, unregistered handgun along with an empty magazine. Officials later found that Hood has a valid Illinois FOID card and a concealed carry license.
Hood and her son were initially charged with one count of first-degree murder. Hood was also charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. All charges have now been dropped.
