Chicago mom accused of telling son to shoot man sues police after murder charges dropped
A Chicago woman accused of telling her teen son to shoot a man at a hot dog stand when a man attacked her is suing the city and members of its police force, after murder charges against her and her son were dropped.
Carlishia Hood, 35, was held on $3 million bail at the Cook County Jail after she was charged last week with first-degree murder and contributing to the delinquency of a minor in connection to the June 18 shooting death of Jeremy Brown, 32.
Hood was released from the jail on Monday after Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s office dismissed charges against her and her teenage son. That same day prosecutors told USA TODAY the state was unable to “meet our burden of proof in the prosecution.”
A tort lawsuit filed by Hood Tuesday in Cook County Circuit Court names the City of Chicago and five police officers as defendants, and alleges false arrest, malicious prosecution and emotional distress.
“I’ve experienced pain in many ways that I would never have thought,” the Associated Press reported Hood said after the charges were tossed. ”What happened to me was totally unnecessary. Never in a million years would I have imagined being brutally attacked, beaten and being arrested.”
Prosecutors have said Hood has a valid firearm owner’s identification card and a concealed-carry permit.
When reached by USA Today on Wednesday, the Chicago Police Department declined comment citing pending litigation.
Foxx's office could not immediately be reached.
A signal, an attack and shots fired
On the night of the shooting, surveillance video released by Chicago police shows Hood and her son arrived at a hot dog stand at Maxwell Street Express in the city's South Side in a blue Lincoln Nautilus.
According to court documents, Hood entered the business to get food while her son waited in the Lincoln. Shortly after, Brown entered the restaurant and an argument broke out between them, court papers show.
Video footage from a cell phone posted on social media over the weekend shows a man yelling at Hood over her food order before threatening to “knock her out," the Associated Press reported. The man then punches Hood in the face and head multiple times.
Prosecutors said Hood texted her 14-year-old son, who was outside, to come inside the restaurant.
Her son then entered the store, pulled out a gun and shot the man, who police identified as Brown. The pair then followed Brown as Hood told the teen to continue shooting, prosecutors said.
Brown died at the scene.
'My life changed'
According to court documents, Hood is represented by Attorney Brandon Brown.
He could not immediately be reached by USA TODAY on Wednesday.
“On June 18 of this year my life changed. My son’s life changed,” Hood told reporters at a news conference this week.
Court documents show a hearing on the lawsuit is set for Aug. 31.
Contributing: Associated Press
Natalie Neysa Alund covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Carlisha Hood sues Chicago as murder charges with son, vendor dropped
