A Chicago mother who was accused of telling her teen son to shoot a man at a fast food restaurant is suing the city and arresting officers after charges were recently dropped -- and now, the family has gained the support of one of the world's most famous recording artists.
Rapper and singer Nicki Minaj posted to her Instagram story on Tuesday to express support for Carlishia Hood and her 14-year-old son a day after murder charges against the two were dropped.
Minaj also offered to pay for the teen's college education, and praised him as a hero.
“That 14-year-old boy that (shot that) grown a** man (who) was punching his mother in the face as if she were man is a true hero,” she said. “If he wants to go to college, I’d love to help. It’s what any son should’ve done for their mother.”
Hood, 35, was initially 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, and has now filed suit in the case.
The Cook County State's Attorney's Office said it was unable to “meet our burden of proof in the prosecution of these cases.”
“I’ve experienced pain in many ways that I would never have thought,” she said about her arrest. ”What happened to me was totally unnecessary. Never in a million years would I have imagined being brutally attacked, beaten and being arrested.”
Hood alleges malicious prosecution, false arrest and intentional infliction of emotional distress in her lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court.
A cellphone video posted on social media over the weekend shows the man 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.
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Prosecutors said Hood texted her 14-year-old son, who was outside the restaurant, to come inside.
Jeremy 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 later turned themselves over to police.
Prosecutors said Hood has a valid firearm owner’s identification card and a concealed-carry permit.
Her attorney, Ari Williams, told reporters Monday that “Ms. Hood is and has always been a victim,” according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
“On June 18 of this year my life changed. My son’s life changed," she told reporters Tuesday at a news conference.
