Dropped murder charges hurt us all

Recently, in Chicago a mother and her 14-year-old son were charged with killing a man in a fast-food restaurant. Several days later, Kim Foxx and the Cook County State Attorney's Office dropped the charges "in light of emerging evidence."

While the physical attack on Carlisha Hood was terrible, it certainly did not rise to the level of justifying using a gun to shoot and kill the unarmed attacker. Hood allegedly texted her son to come into the restaurant. He came armed with a gun and allegedly shot the unarmed man to stop the attack, but continued shooting the man as he ran from the store into the parking lot. At what point does the concept of self defense end?

And now Carlisha Hood has the audacity to sue the city and the members of the Chicago Police Department. There was probable cause to arrest. There was sufficient evidence to bring charges initially. Then the highest law enforcement office in Cook County decides to ignore that a 14-year-old allegedly shot an unarmed man and continued shooting him as he attempted to flee.

Can you imagine if a police officer had shot this unarmed man in an attempt to stop the attack and then continued shooting the unarmed man as he tried to escape the trauma of being shot? Can you say double standard?

What I see is a state's attorney who really doesn't care what the law says. Who really doesn't care about the overall safety of our entire community. Who really doesn't care about making such outrageous prosecutorial decisions since she has announced she won't be running for re-election.

So, it looks like anything goes in Cook County. We all suffer as a result of this incredulous decision.

Ray Cowin