CHICAGO (CBS) — Cook County prosecutors have been dropped A woman and her 14-year-old son have been charged with murder Earlier this month, a man was shot and killed during a fight at a fast-food restaurant in West Pullman.
Carlycia Hood, 35, and her son were charged with first-degree murder 32-year-old Jeremy Brown was killed June 18 at the Maxwell Street Express located in the 11600 block of South Halsted Street. Hood, who had a valid FOID card and concealed carry license at the time of the incident, was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Surveillance video before charges were dropped:
All charges were dropped on Monday. In a statement, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Fox’s office said, “This decision was made based on our ongoing review and in light of growing evidence.”
“We were unable to meet our burden of proof in the trial of these cases based on the facts, the evidence and the law,” Foxx’s office added.
CBS 2 has obtained cellphone video that shows Brown Hood being stabbed three times by his son before being shot.
Earlier, prosecutors acknowledged the shooting was caught on video. According to prosecutors, Hood was in line getting food while her son waited inside their car. Moments later, Brown entered the restaurant.
Both were in line when the argument broke out. Hood began texting his son while a witness laughed and encouraged Brown.
According to prosecutors, Brown punched Hood three times in the head and the son came to the door as the argument turned into a fight. That’s when the teenager took out a gun and shot the assailant in the back.
Brown fled the restaurant, but Dean followed him outside and fired more shots, prompting Hood to continue shooting him, prosecutors said.
He was shot twice in the back and later died of his injuries. It’s unclear why prosecutors decided to charge Hood and his son with murder in the shooting, citing evidence that Brown punched Hood before his son shot Brown, and prosecutors acknowledged the shooting was caught on video.
Hood was ordered held on $3 million bond after being charged last week. Her son was charged as a juvenile and held without bail.
On Monday, Cook County prosecutors did not elaborate on what evidence led to the charges being dropped during a court appearance in Hood Leighton Criminal Court.
Some community activists have called for the charges to be dropped, saying Hood and his son were acting in self-defense, saying Brown beat Hood during a fight inside the restaurant.
Neither Hood nor his son have a prior criminal record.
