Prosecutors have dropped murder charges against a mother and her teenage son after initially claiming she “ordered him” to kill a man at a Chicago restaurant.
Carlishia Hood, 35, has been accused of tricking her 14-year-old son into shooting Jeremy Brown, 32, on June 18.
But the George Soros-backed Cooks County prosecutor has since dropped the charges after video surfaced of Brown repeatedly hitting Hood, a tax accountant.
Shortly before 11 p.m., she went to the Maxwell Street Express fast food restaurant in the West Pullman district, her son initially staying in the car.
Footage released by police initially only showed the boy running into the restaurant, opening fire and shooting Brown in the back.
Carlishia Hood, 35, (right) was originally charged with murder along with her son (left) after footage emerged of him running into a Chicago restaurant and shooting dead a man
But prosecutors have since dropped the charges after footage surfaced of 32-year-old Jeremy Brown attacking Hood
But new surveillance video showing Brown hitting Hood multiple times has led to the charges being dropped.
Brown Hood could be seen yelling, “Get your food!” as she starts arguing with him.
As she continued to yell at him, he yelled, “Oh my god, if you say anything else, I’m going to KO you.”
He then brought out a violent blow and hit her while other customers in the store looked on in horror and ran away.
Hood had been arrested and charged with murder and assisting in the crime of a minor.
Cook County Prosecutor Kim Foxx decided to drop the criminal charges against the mother and son based on the new footage.
She said in a statement, “Based on our ongoing review and in light of new evidence, the Cook County Attorney’s Office (CCSAO) today moved to dismiss the charges against Carlishia Hood and her 14-year-old son,” she told the Cook County Attorney’s Office in an explanation.
“Due to the facts, evidence and the law, we are unable to meet our burden of proof in prosecuting these cases.”
Brown Hood can be seen confronting at the restaurant in new viral video
In Chicago police video, Hood could be seen arriving at the market with her teenager
Hood, 35, (left) entered the Maxwell Street Express fast food restaurant in the West Pullman neighborhood on June 18 while her 14-year-old son (right) initially waited outside
The footage was only released after Hood, who lawfully owned the gun, turned herself in with her son on June 21.
Chicago police released surveillance footage of the incident in early June, showing Hood and her son arriving at the store.
Hood can be seen in her mugshot after her arrest for murder.
Hood is seen placing her order before the footage cuts to her son standing in the doorway and pulling a gun from his pocket.
The Chicago police video did not show Brown, but the final portion of the footage shows the teenager outside with a gun.
Hood returned to her car with her son, and police asked for help locating the two suspects – who later turned themselves in.
Initial reports from the Chicago Defender reported that Hood ordered her son to shoot Brown and aim at his girlfriend, but her family disagreed.
A fundraising page set up by Hood’s sister, Darnitrea Wiley, states, “An altercation ensued with a stranger named Jeremy, which resulted in a physical altercation.”
“This resulted in Carlishia Hood being hit several times in the head by Jeremy.”
Chicago police video shows Hood’s 14-year-old son entering the restaurant, hands in pockets, then drawing a gun
Cook County Prosecutor Kim Foxx announced Monday her decision to drop the charges against Hood and her son
Wiley accused people of rushing to convict her sister without knowing the facts.
The site has raised nearly $10,000 of its $35,000 monthly goal as of Tuesday morning.
“Thank you for taking a stand against a tyrant no man must ever beat,” one donor wrote on the page.
Another added: “This is extremely hard to watch!” What else is a 14-year-old supposed to do when he sees his mother being brutally assaulted by a totally enraged man? I pray for justice.’
Rapper Meek Mill praised Foxx’s decision, saying, “Thank you for the role you play at the right moment!”
The decision to drop the charges is DA Foxx’s latest controversial decision. Many have accused her of being soft on crime as Chicago has seen a rise in crime and high profile incidents.
In 2020, liberal financier George Soros donated $2 million to a PAC supporting Foxx in her re-election campaign. She won the race and has since offered criminals stays of prosecution and softball deals.
2021 saw more homicides in Chicago than any year since 1994.
Last month, Foxx announced she would not be running for re-election in 2024 after serving eight years as the county’s chief prosecutor.