Citing “emerging evidence,” prosecutors have dropped murder charges against a woman and her 14-year-old son less than a week after the woman was accused of ordering her son to kill a man who had punched her at a South Side hot dog stand.
Carlishia Hood, 35, appeared in court Thursday on charges of first-degree murder and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Judge Barbara Dawkins ordered Hood held on $3 million bail.
Hood’s next court date had been set for next month, but prosecutors scheduled a hearing Monday at which they announced they were dropping all charges. They later announced that murder charges against the teenager also have been dismissed.
“In light of emerging evidence, today the Cook County state’s attorney’s office has moved to dismiss the charges against Carlishia Hood and her 14-year-old son,” the office said in a written statement. “Based upon the facts, evidence and the law, we are unable to meet our burden of proof in the prosecution of these cases.”
The statement didn’t specify what the new evidence is, but it comes after video surfaced over the weekend that appears to show Jeremy Brown, the man who was killed, punching Hood immediately before he was shot June 18.
The video, widely distributed on social media, apparently was taken by a bystander and doesn’t show the shooting, which officials said was captured by high-definition surveillance cameras.
In presenting their case last week, prosecutors said Brown, 32, punched Hood in the head at a Maxwell Street Express, 11656 S. Halsted St., after the two got into an argument while waiting in line for food.
Hood texted her son and had him come to the restaurant as the argument turned physical, according to prosecutors, who said the boy took out a gun and shot Brown in the back.
Brown ran from the store as Hood’s son allegedly continued to fire. The teen and his mother followed Brown to the parking lot, where she told her son to keep shooting Brown and to kill him, prosecutors said.
Hood also was accused of telling her son to then shoot Brown’s girlfriend and of trying to take the gun from her son afterward. The two left the scene and went home.
Prosecutors said Hood had a valid firearm owner’s identification card and a concealed-carry permit. She had no previous criminal record.
Hood didn’t answer questions as she walked out of the Cook County Jail on Monday afternoon. She and her family later declined to comment at their home.
But Ari Williams, the family’s attorney, said in a statement that the charges have caused “great harm” to Hood, her family and their reputation.
“Ms. Hood is and has always been a victim,” Williams said, adding that Hood will file a lawsuit in the case Tuesday morning.
Brown’s family wouldn’t comment.
