In one of the weirdest stories of the year so far, Jussie Smollett’s lawyers confirm that all criminal charges have been dropped against the actor.
The “Empire” star was being accused of staging a hate crime in order to increase sympathy to receive a pay raise. He was indicted on 16 counts of filing false police report, but had his record wiped clean earlier today.
In the alleged scheme, Smollett was accused of sending himself a fake letter that threatened his life and then proceeding to hire two “Empire” actors to stage the crime. Smollett reported to the police that he was attacked by two men who beat him, poured bleach on him, and tied a noose around his neck. He also stated that the two men shouted “This is MAGA country!” before fleeing the scene of the crime.
It’s unclear what evidence was found to exonerate Smollett from the charges, but the Cook County State’s Attorney Office released a statement today saying, “After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smollett’s volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago, we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case.”
The Chicago P.D. has not released a statement at this time regarding the case. Smollett told the media after the case “I have been truthful and consistent at on every single level since day one.”
The fallout from the case should be ongoing throughout the day and rest of the week and we will update accordingly.
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