What People Are Saying About Jussie Smollett
Attorneys for Empire actor Jussie Smollett have reported that charges alleging he lied to police about a racist and homophobic attack have been dropped.
Key points:
- Jussie Smollett's lawyers say that his record has been 'wiped clean'
- Smollett claimed he was attacked by two men who placed a noose over his head
- Empire bosses dropped Smollett from the cast after he was charged
Smollett's attorney's Tina Glandian and Patricia Brown Holmes said in a statement that his record "has been wiped clean".
"Jussie and many others were hurt by these unfair and unwarranted actions," they said in a statement.
"It is a reminder that a victim, in this case Jussie, deserves dignity and respect. Dismissal of charges against the victim in this case was the only just result.
"Jussie is relieved to have this situation behind him and is very much looking forward to getting back to focusing on his family, friends and career."
The actor was indicted on 16 felony counts related to making a false report that he was targeted by two men in a racist and homophobic attack.
Prosecutor's office spokeswoman Tandra Simonton offered no detailed explanation for the decision.
"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 [US$10,000] bond to the City of Chicago, we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case."
Police and prosecutors have said the black and openly gay actor falsely reported to authorities that he was attacked at about 2:00am on January 29 in downtown Chicago because he was unhappy with his pay on the Fox show and to promote his career.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel seemed angry while speaking about the charges being dropped, calling it an "unbelievable whitewash of justice".
"This is a person, now, who has been let off scot-free with no sense of accountability of the moral and ethical wrong of his actions, from top to bottom, besmirching the city," he said.
"Is there no decency in this man?"
Smollett plays the gay character Jamal Lyon on the hit TV show that follows a black family as they navigate the ups and downs of the recording industry.
He reported that he had been attacked on his way home from a sandwich shop. Smollett said two masked men shouted racial and anti-gay slurs, poured bleach on him, beat him and looped a rope around his neck.
He claimed they shouted "This is MAGA country" — a reference to President Donald Trump's "Make America Great Again" campaign slogan.
He asserted that he could see one of the men was white because he could see the skin around his eyes.
Police said Smollett hired two men, both of whom are black, to attack him, and paid the men $3,500.
The men are brothers Abimbola "Abel" and Olabinjo "Ola" Osundairo, and one of them had worked on Empire.
An attorney for them said the brothers agreed to help Smollett because of their friendship with him and the sense that he was helping their careers.
Police also said that before the attack, Smollett sent a letter that threatened him to the Chicago studio where Empire is shot. The FBI, which is investigating that letter, has declined to comment on the investigation.
Fox has already cut Smollett's character from the show after the actor was arrested and accused of staging the hoax.
His character, Jamal Lyon, will be removed from the final two episodes of the current season, according to Fox, which said it wanted to avoid "further disruption" on the set of the show.
AP
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What People Are Saying About Jussie Smollett
Source: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-27/empire-actor-jussie-smollett-has-charges-dropped/10943232
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