Lake County prosecutors filed last week to dismiss a Hammond murder case during a drug deal for “lean,” saying they couldn’t prove it, filings show.
Jamari Mitchell, then 17, of Hammond, was charged with murder and dealing in a Schedule V controlled substance in the Nov. 16, 2024, death of Jakayo Clark, 18, of Hammond.
Mitchell was also wounded.
Both prosecutors and his defense lawyer agreed to Mitchell’s release on a $5,000 cash bond in January – signaling a potentially weak case.
Clark messaged Mitchell to buy “lean” – a promethazine mix – and brought a friend.
In court filings, defense lawyer Mike Woods wrote Clark believed Mitchell was one of “various males” possibly seeing his girlfriend. He likely lured Mitchell there to “rob” or “harm” him, and his client acted in self-defense, he wrote.
Prosecutors’ “theory” to convict was that Mitchell killed Clark while dealing a Schedule V controlled substance – which Promethazine was not, he wrote.
Deputy Prosecutor Jacob Brandewie wrote in filings that Mitchell couldn’t claim self-defense if he was in the process of committing another crime. The potential for violence was there and it wasn’t a “surprise” that the drug deal went “poorly.”
Hammond Police Detective Jason Schafbuch wrote officers responded at 11 p.m. Nov. 16, 2024, to the alley behind Mimi Market, on the 7300 block of Columbia Avenue, after several 911 callers reported gunshots.
Mitchell was in an empty lot. He was taken to the hospital for “life-threatening” injuries after he was shot in the leg and side.
Police found Clark lying in the grass nearby. He was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy showed he was shot three times and died from a gunshot wound to his torso. His death was ruled a homicide.
Cops found a bottle of promethazine – “lean” – at the scene. They also found a gun in the alley. They recovered 21 casings of three calibers – meaning three guns were used.
Police pulled several text conversations from both the shooter’s and Clark’s phones. Before the shooting, Clark allegedly messaged the girl to tell her he would do something to Mitchell, then run to her backyard, documents state.
Mitchell told investigators in a phone interview that he agreed to sell “lean,” but didn’t think Clark would bring a friend. He tried to “play it cool.”
[email protected]; Post-Tribune archives contributed.