Prosecutors have dropped murder charges against a mother and her teenage son after initially alleging she “ordered” him to kill a man at a Chicago restaurant.
Carlishia Hood, 35, was accused of having her son, 14, shot dead on June 18, Jeremy Brown, 32.
But the George Soros-backed Cooks County District Attorney has since dropped the charges after a video surfaced of Brown repeatedly punching Hood, a tax preparer.
She went to the Maxwell Street Express fast food restaurant in the West Pullman neighborhood just before 11 p.m., while her son remained in the car.
Footage released by police initially only showed the boy running into the restaurant and opening fire, shooting Brown in the back.
Carlishia Hood, 35, (right) was initially charged with murder along with her son (left) when footage emerged of him running into a Chicago restaurant and fatally shooting a man
But prosecutors have since dropped the charges after footage emerged of 32-year-old Jeremy Brown attacking Hood
But a new surveillance video showing Brown beating Hood multiple times has led to the charges being dropped.
You could see Brown yelling at Hood to “get your dinner!” as she begins to argue with him.
As she continued to yell at him, he yelled, “Oh my god, if you say one more thing I’ll knock you out.”
He then took a big swing and punched her, while other customers in the store watched in horror and ran away.
Hood had been arrested and charged with murder and contributing to a minor’s crime.
Cook County Attorney Kim Foxx decided to drop criminal charges against the mother and son based on the new images.
She said in a statement: “Based on our ongoing review and in light of emerging evidence, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office (CCSAO) today took steps to dismiss the charges against Carlishia Hood and her 14-year-old son.
“Based on the facts, the evidence and the law, we are unable to meet our burden of proof in prosecuting these matters.”
In the new viral video, Brown is seen confronting Hood at the diner
The Chicago police video showed Hood arriving at the market with her teenager
Hood, 35, (left) entered the Maxwell Street Express fast food takeout restaurant in the West Pullman district on June 18 as her 14-year-old son (right) initially waited outside
The footage only came out after Hood, who legally owned the gun, turned herself in on June 21 along with her son.
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 on murder charges.
Hood can be seen placing her order, before footage cuts to her son in the doorway pulling a gun from his pocket.
The video from the Chicago Police Department did not show Brown, while the latter part of the footage showed the teen outside with the gun.
Hood returned to her car with her son, with police asking for help in tracking down the two suspects – who later turned themselves in.
Initial reports from the Chicago Defender stated that Hood ordered her son to shoot Brown and aim at his girlfriend, but they were disputed by her family.
A fundraising page set up by Hood’s sister Darnitrea Wiley states, “An altercation occurred with a stranger named Jeremy, which led to a physical altercation.
“This resulted in Carlishia Hood being hit on the head multiple times by Jeremy.”
Hood’s 14-year-old son can be seen in Chicago police video entering the restaurant, hands in pockets, then pulls out a gun
Cook County Attorney Kim Foxx announced Monday her decision to drop charges against Hood and her son
Wiley accused people of rushing to condemn her sister without knowing the facts.
The page raised nearly $10,000 of its $35,000 monthly goal Tuesday morning.
“Thank you for taking a stand against a bully, no man should ever hit a woman,” one donor wrote on the page.
Another added, “This is extremely hard to watch! What else is a 14-year-old child to do when he sees his mother being viciously attacked by an irate man. Pray for justice.’
Rapper Meek Mill was among those who praised Foxx’s decision, saying, “Thank you for playing the role at the right time!”
The decision to drop the charges is the latest in controversial decisions by DA Foxx. Many have accused her of being soft with crime as Chicago has seen a spike in crime and high-profile incidents.
In 2020, liberal financier George Soros donated $2 million to a PAC that supported Foxx in her re-election campaign. She won the race and has since offered deferred prosecutions and softball deals to criminals.
There were more homicides in Chicago in 2021 than in any other year since 1994.
Last month, Foxx announced she would not be seeking re-election in 2024 after serving eight years as the county’s top prosecutor.