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Charges Dismissed Against Aunt Of Accused Teen Killer

CHICAGO (STMW) -- Mob action and obstruction charges were dismissed Friday against the aunt of a 14-year-old girl accused of fatally shooting another girl last month during a fight over a boy in the Back of the Yards neighborhood.

Assistant State's Attorney Jamie Santini argued that Vandetta Redwood initially told police she was not there when 14-year-old Endia Martin was shot, but a cell phone video obtained by police put her at the scene.

The video showed a group of teens running down a street and then getting into an altercation with Endia. At least one person in the group could be seen grabbing a bottle. The video ends with the shooting and everybody running.

An Area Central detective also testified that Redwood told the group "you better kick their ass" prior to the April 28 shooting in the 900 block of West Garfield Boulevard.

However, Judge Donald Panarese Jr. called the video "choppy" and "poor," then ruled the state did not meet the burden of proof and dismissed charges against Redwood.

"Vandetta got caught up in the state's attorney's attempt to come down hard on gun violence," her attorney, Mark Almanza said outside the courtroom.

In addition to Redwood's 14-year-old niece, four other people have been charged for their alleged roles in the shooting.

Floyd Evans, 43, of the 200 block of East Ohio Street, was charged with illegally buying the weapon without a valid FOID card. He allegedly bought the gun last year from Robert James, 34, who was charged with disorderly conduct and selling a firearm without an FOID card.

The gun was later obtained by Donnell Flora — the alleged shooter's uncle — though police did not specify how the gun was transferred.

Flora, 25, who uses a wheelchair since he was paralyzed in a shooting in 2010, took a bus to deliver the gun to his niece, prosecutors said.

A 17-year-old boy had also been charged in connection with the shooting for allegedly hiding the murder weapon, police said. He is charged with felony aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, as well as two counts of felony unlawful use of a weapon and a misdemeanor reckless damage charge.

Redwood declined to comment after the hearing.

"I had faith this was going to be the ruling ... the state didn't have enough evidence," Almanza said.

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2014. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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