Carlishia Hood and her 14-year-old son were accused of murdering a man at a Chicago hot dog stand.
But in a stunning twist, prosecutors dropped all charges against them.
What led to this decision?
Here are four possible reasons.
What happened at Maxwell Street Express, West Pullman neighborhood on June 18, 2023?
According to prosecutors, Hood and her son arrived at Maxwell Street Express, a fast food restaurant in the West Pullman neighborhood, around 11 p.m.
Hood was in line to get food while her son waited in their car.
Shortly after, Jeremy A. Brown, 32, entered the restaurant and got into an argument with Hood.
The dispute escalated into a physical fight, with Brown punching Hood in the head multiple times.
WATCH: Who is Carlishia Hood? Why Chicago Woman Ordered Her 14-Year-Old Son to Kill a Man
Hood texted her son and signaled him to come inside.
The boy took out a gun and shot Brown in the back as he tried to run away. Hood and her son followed him outside, where she allegedly told him to keep shooting and kill him.
She also allegedly told him to shoot Brown’s girlfriend, who was laughing and encouraging Brown during the argument.
The mother and son then fled the scene and drove home.
How were they caught and charged?
The entire incident was captured by high-definition surveillance cameras inside and outside the restaurant.
Police released the footage to the public and asked for help in identifying the suspects.
Hood and her son were arrested on June 22, 2023, after being recognized by Brown’s girlfriend in photo arrays.
They were both charged with first-degree murder and held without bail.
Hood also faced a felony count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
She had a valid firearm owners identification card and a permit to carry a concealed weapon.
She had no criminal record.
4 Reasons Why Carlishia Hood Case Was Dropped
On June 26, 2023, prosecutors dropped all charges against Hood and her son, citing “emerging evidence” that showed Brown punching Hood before he was shot.
The new evidence came from a video that was apparently shot by a bystander and widely shared on social media.
The video showed a different angle of the altercation inside the restaurant, where Brown can be seen hitting Hood repeatedly.
Reason 1: Self-defense
Hood and her son claimed that they acted in self-defense when they shot Jeremy A. Brown, 32, on June 18, 2023.
They said that Brown punched Hood in the head multiple times during an argument at Maxwell Street Express, a fast food restaurant in the West Pullman neighborhood.
Hood texted her son and asked him to come inside.
The boy took out a gun and shot Brown in the back as he tried to run away.
Hood and her son followed him outside, where she allegedly told him to keep shooting and kill him.
Illinois has a “Justifiable Use of Force” law that allows people to use force in self-defense without a duty to retreat, but only if certain conditions are met.
These conditions include:
- There was imminent danger or threat to them, someone else, or their property;
- The threat was unlawful;
- They believed that a danger existed that required force; and
- They used force that was equal to the threat.
Prosecutors may have concluded that Hood and her son met these conditions and were justified in using deadly force to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to themselves or another person.
Reason 2: Video evidence
On June 26, 2023, prosecutors dropped all charges against Hood and her son, citing “emerging evidence” that showed Brown punching Hood before he was shot.
This new evidence came from a video that was apparently shot by a bystander and widely shared on social media.
The video showed a different angle of the altercation inside the restaurant, where Brown can be seen hitting Hood repeatedly.
It may have corroborated Hood and her son’s version of events and cast doubt on the credibility of Brown’s girlfriend, who was laughing and encouraging Brown during the argument.
She had identified Hood and her son as the shooters in photo arrays. The video may have also influenced public opinion and sympathy for Hood and her son.
Reason 3: Lack of criminal record
Hood and her son had no criminal record prior to the shooting.
Hood had a valid firearm owners identification card and a permit to carry a concealed weapon.
She was also charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor for allegedly instructing her son to shoot Brown and his girlfriend.
Prosecutors may have considered Hood and her son’s clean background and lack of criminal intent as mitigating factors in their decision to drop the charges.
They may have also weighed the potential consequences of prosecuting a mother and her teenage son for murder.
Reason 4: Public interest
The case attracted a lot of media attention and public scrutiny. It also sparked a debate about self-defense laws, gun violence and social media influence in criminal justice.
Some people argued that Hood and her son acted in self-defense and were justified in using deadly force.
Others said that they overreacted and should have called the police instead of taking matters into their own hands.
Prosecutors may have decided that pursuing the case was not in the public interest or the interest of justice.
They may have also faced pressure from anti-violence groups, civil rights activists or community leaders to drop the charges.
The case remains controversial and unresolved.
It is unclear if there will be any civil lawsuits or further investigations into the matter.
https://youtu.be/OSiarvZw4DQ
