Latricia Hood
A girl fight on the West Side led to a stabbing, and on Tuesday a charge of attempted criminal homicide was bound to the Grand Jury against Latricia Hood. She was 19 at the time of the Oct. 5 incident.
Jailyn Blackmon admitted she started the slugfest with Ms. Hood after some bitter Facebook exchanges.
Ms. Blackmon said, "I posted that she had been in foster care."
She said Ms. Hood replied with, "You better watch your back because I will beat TF out of you when I see you."
Ms. Blackmon said she was at her residence at College Hill Courts on Grove Street when she spotted Ms. Hood out by her car. She admitted that she walked out and started the fracas.
She said the brother of Ms. Hood and his cousin sat nearby on a Camaro during the fight and did not attempt to intervene.
She said the two fought, then Kayla Fields tried to break it up. They then resumed the battle. Ms. Blackmon said she hit Ms. Hood in the face, then hit her again.
After that, she said Ms. Hood said she was going to get a weapon. Ms. Blackmon said she went inside the residence, but came back out when she saw Ms. Hood with the knife near her boyfriend, Leon. She said she did not want Leon to get cut.
She said Leon was pleading with Ms. Hood not to cut Ms. Blackmon, saying, "She's got a kid."
Ms. Blackmon said Ms. Hood began swinging the small knife in an upward motion. She said she was struck in the neck and twice in the arm. She said one gash to the arm was near an artery and she went inside and collapsed. She said she was able to call 911. An ambulance soon arrived and rushed her to Erlanger Hospital.
She said she spent three days in the hospital and underwent surgery on her arm.
Ms. Fields told of trying to break up the fight, but said she got punched in the process.
Alonzo Hood, brother of the defendant, said his sister had picked up him and his cousin at Bojangles after work. He said they went to the West Side because her sister wanted to show off two new puppies, including to the neighborhood children.
He said his sister came to him for a weapon and he handed her his knife.
Defense attorney Amanda Dunn said Ms. Blackmon admitted starting the fight and came back out of the residence though she would have been safe inside. She said the charge should be dismissed.
Prosecutor Raven Austin said the fight appeared to be over, but Ms. Hood escalated it by getting the knife.
Judge Gary Starnes found enough proof to send the case on. Ms. Hood remains out on the same bond.