Jussie Smollett accused of lying to CPD, indicted on 6 counts of disorderly conduct
Former “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett was indicted Tuesday in Chicago by special prosecutor Dan Webb, stemming from the alleged racist and anti-gay attack on him that occurred in January of 2019.
Smollett is due in court February 24 at the Criminal Court Building at 26th and California. Webb said in a statement that Smollett faces six felony counts of disorderly conduct, charges that stem from four separate false reports that he gave to police in which he contended he was a victim of a hate crime “knowing that he was not the victim of a crime.”
The statement immediately raised questions about county prosecutors' decision to drop the charges last year and made it clear that those prosecutors had not adequately explained to special prosecutors why they did so.
Smollett had originally been charged with 16 felony counts in relation to a hate crime he claimed to be the victim of.
The actor, who is black and gay, filed a police report claiming he had been attacked in the early hours of Jan. 29, 2019, by two people who yelled MAGA chants and anti-gay slurs, put a rope around his neck, and poured a chemical substance on him.
Authorities alleged he actually had paid two brothers to stage the attack in order to draw publicity he could leverage during his salary negotiations on Empire.
Smollett has always insisted he was telling the truth about the attack.
“I’ve been truthful and consistent on every single level since day one,” he told reporters outside the courtroom last March when the initial charges against him were dropped. “I would not be my mother’s son if I was capable of one drop of what I’ve been accused of.”
Smollett's attorney, Tina Glandian, questioned the integrity of the ongoing investigation in a statement. The actor has accused Chicago police officers and city officials of malicious prosecution, and one of the detectives who testified to the grand jury is currently being sued by Smollett, she said.


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