Charges dropped against woman, son in West Pullman shooting at hotdog stand

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Cook County State's Attorney's Office has dropped charges against a woman who prosecutors previously said ordered her teen son to fatally shoot a man at a West Pullman hotdog stand last weekend.

The state's attorney's office said Monday, "Based upon our continued review and in light of emerging evidence" first-degree murder charges would be dropped against the 35-year-old woman and 14-year-old boy.

"Based upon the facts, evidence, and the law we are unable to meet our burden of proof in the prosecution of these cases," the office said.

The shooting happened in the 11600-block of South Halsted Street at about 11:05 p.m. last Sunday.

Police said the man, who the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office identified as Jeremy A. Brown, was in the vestibule of a fast-food restaurant and got into an argument with a woman. That's when the woman's 14-year-old son walked into the restaurant.

SEE ALSO | West Pullman community holds meeting following restaurant shooting, recent increase in violence

Brown repeatedly punched the woman in her head. That violent attack was captured on this cell phone video, which was shared on social media by a local activist and has been viewed more than 32 million times.

Police said as his mother is being hit, the teen fired his gun repeatedly at Brown, shooting him in the back. Police said Brown ran out, and the the mother and son did too, with the son still shooting. Brown was pronounced dead at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds.

"No one else in the establishment did anything. And so, once he saw his mother get severely hit, he took action," said community activist Ja'Mal Green.

In addition to the murder charge, the woman had faced a felony count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, CPD said.

"The state, once they got ahold of this video, saw what the defense would be, and the defense would be self-defense. Because now, that the defense has a claim, a very strong one it seems, that the shooter was acting in defense of his mother, who was being pummeled by an assailant. That's a pretty hard case to bring on murder charges," said ABC7 Legal Analyst Gil Soffer.

The attorney representing the woman and her son said they are planning to speak on Tuesday about a lawsuit they plan to file.

Anti-violence groups said they've been responding to a recent uptick in shootings in the West Pullman neighborhood. Since May 23, there have been eight shootings and five homicides in the area, according to their count.

INTERACTIVE SAFETY TRACKER | Track crime and safety in your neighborhood