A mother who was accused of telling her teen son to shoot a man at a fast food restaurant in Chicago spoke publicly for the first time since the murder charges against her and her son were dropped.
“On June 18 of this year, my life changed. My son’s life changed,” Carlishia Hood said during a news conference Tuesday.
Hood, 35, spoke as attorneys announced she was suing the city following the dramatic turn of events.
Hood had been held on $3 million bail after she was charged last week with first-degree murder and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. She was released Monday from the Cook County Jail after the charges were dropped when the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office said it received “emerging evidence” in the case.
“Based upon the facts, evidence, and the law we are unable to meet our burden of proof in the prosecution of these cases,” a statement from the office read.
Hood now alleges malicious prosecution, false arrest and intentional infliction of emotional distress in her lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court.
“I’ve experienced pain in many ways that I would never have thought,” she told reporters. ”What happened to me was totally unnecessary. Never in a million years would I have imagined being brutally attacked, beaten and being arrested.”
Police had said Hood was in an argument with 32-year-old Jeremy Brown while waiting in line for food at the restaurant, located at 11656 S. Halsted St. Hood then reportedly texted her son and had him come to the restaurant as the argument turned physical.
Officials alleged Brown punched Hood in the head and Hood’s son took out a gun, shooting Brown in the back, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
A cellphone video posted on social media over the weekend showed the moments leading up to the shooting, whoever. In it, Brown is seen yelling at Hood on June 18 to “get your food” before threatening to “knock” her out. He then punches Hood in the face and head several times.
Prosecutors said Hood texted her 14-year-old son, who was outside the restaurant, to come inside.
Brown, 32, was shot in the back by the teen and then ran from the restaurant. Hood and her son, whose name was not released due to his age, followed Brown as Hood told the teen to continue shooting, prosecutors said. Brown was pronounced dead at the scene.
The shooting was recorded by surveillance video, but not the cellphone video, officials said.
Hood and her son surrendered to police last week and were arrested by authorities. They were both charged with first-degree murder and Hood faced an additional charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Prosecutors said Hood has a valid firearm owner’s identification card and a concealed-carry permit.
Her attorney, Brandon Brown, called the situation “an obvious rush to judgment.”
“You don’t have to be a lawyer to appreciate and recognize that when a woman is violently attacked by a man, an unarmed woman, that she shouldn’t be arrested,” he told reporters. “And if any one of you were to replace Carlishia… if your mother or sister or daughter were attacked in a restaurant when she she’s trying to order a cheeseburger, would you expect that she would be arrested? What would you do in that situation?”
Hood thanked those who supported her following her arrest and asked for privacy.
“We asked if, you know, we can please have space to rest and recover from this life-altering situation and that you all continue to keep us in your prayers,” she said. “In the near future, I will be able to respond to outpouring of support. Again, I just need a little time to heal and to just get my life back with my baby.”
Further details surrounding the evidence from the state’s attorney’s office and police were not immediately released.
from NBC Chicago https://ift.tt/wB5oWUa
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