COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — A 21-year-old man on probation on a weapons charge was ordered held without bail Friday after fatally shooting Dushanti Hassell on a quiet block in Lincoln Square last weekend, prosecutors said.
Amin H. Smith, 21, of the 7800 block of South Greenwood Avenue in the Grand Crossing neighborhood, asked a friend and the friend's girlfriend to accompany him to meet Hassell at a Dunkin Donuts in the 6200 block of North Western Avenue Sunday, Assistant State's Attorney Barry Quinn said at a bond hearing Friday.
The two friends followed Smith to the Dunkin Donuts in a red Jeep, while Smith rode in a car driven by his mother, Quinn said. Once Hassell arrived at the restaurant's parking lot, he and Smith got into the back of the Jeep, a meeting captured on the restaurant's surveillance cameras, Quinn said.
Smith's friend then drove them to an alley near Winnemac and Argyle streets at Smith's request, where the two got out of the car and began to argue, Quinn said. Moments later, the friend left the car to urinate and saw the two wrestling over a gun, he said.
Smith allegedly grabbed the weapon and pointed it at Hassell as he begged for his life. The friend ran back to the car and heard a single shot, he said, and as he got into the Jeep, he saw Smith wipe himself and the gun with a towel, Quinn said.
Smith then called his mother to pick him up at a gas station at Lawrence and Ashland avenues, where the friends dropped Smith off, Quinn said.
Quinn said in court that there is surveillance video of Smith handing something wrapped in clothing to his mother, but did not give further details.
No one else has been charged in the case.
Police arrived at the alley within minutes and a witness relayed the license plate number to police. A .40-caliber shell casing was found at the scene, Quinn said.
The Cook County medical examiner said Hassell's killer stood over Hassell during the fatal shooting.
In 2010, Smith was convicted of aggravated robbery, Quinn said. In November of 2012, Smith was sentenced to 30 months probation for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. In May 2014, Smith was found guilty of a misdemeanor DUI.
Smith appeared before Cook County Judge Adam Bourgeois wearing a black and gold sweatshirt with matching black pants. Treble clefs and music notes were cut into his hair.
When his lawyers attempted to detail Smith's background, which included being a lifelong resident of Chicago, Bourgeois interjected that his recent arrests spoke for themselves and he would be held without bond.
"So what?" said Bourgeois, interrupting. "When will we learn, people? You are on parole for UUW [unlawful use of a weapon] and you have a gun. You are dangerous, sir."
Hassell's mother, Juanita Gartley, was in court Friday surrounded by family members, including Hassell's 10-month-old son, whose smile Friday morning reminded her of her son's and gave her the strength to go to court, she said.
"I woke up, and he was staring at me, smiling, and for the first time I didn't feel grieved," she said outside of court.
Her strength was tested in the courtroom, though, when she saw Smith, whom she had met before, from behind the big glass windows in courtroom 101, Gartley said.
Gartley said previously that Smith and her son had been in a dispute over a $30 iPod, but prosecutors did not detail what they argued about in court.
"When I saw him I didn't have hate; I had hurt and pain. What made it especially saddening is when I heard them say what happened, and it seemed so planned," she said.
"This young man came to my house. My son introduced him to me. He even introduced him to his sister," she said. "I prayed for him and his family because this is a big heartbreak for both of us."
Gartley said that it was "disturbing and devastating" to hear Smith's mother referenced at the court hearing.
"So many mothers are doing everything they can do to try and save their children from gun violence," she said.
Gartley thanked the detectives, neighbors and witnesses who helped bring Smith quickly into custody, as well as Chicago Survivors, a network built to help families who lose loved ones to violence, she said.
"I want mothers to know there's help. When I was in darkness about what was happening next, they helped me. I got my relief when I met them. I don't want to see another mother go through what I went through," she said.
Now, Gartley is demanding an apology from 40th Ward Ald. Patrick O'Connor, who labeled Hassell a gang member and said the shooting involved five Hispanic men. Gartley said the comments were not truthful, and she accused him of using race to distract neighbors.
"Not once in that hearing did they mention gangs," Gartley said, adding that Smith and Hassell are both African-American.
O'Connor could not be reached for comment Friday.
A prayer vigil will be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday in the alley where Hassell was shot.
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