Less than two weeks after “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett pleaded not guilty to 16 counts of disorderly conduct for allegedly lying to police about a hate crime, prosecutors have dropped charges in the case.
A judge also granted a motion to seal the case.
Also, Smollett kicked his $10,000 bond/bail money to the City of Chicago as a token of his appreciation. You cannot make this stuff up, folks.
Statement from the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/jJOuyQn1YJ
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) March 26, 2019
More details are expected soon, after an unscheduled emergency hearing Tuesday morning.
Smollett was accused of falsifying a police report, and lying to police. Each of the 16 counts against him covers various alleged acts that Smollett falsely described to the officers–including that he was hit by two men, that they yelled racial and homophobic slurs and poured a chemical on him.
Smollett, who is black and openly gay, had told police he was attacked as he was walking home around 2 a.m. on Jan. 29. He claimed two masked men – one of them also wearing a red hat – shouted racist and homophobic slurs as they beat him, put a noose around his neck, and poured a chemical on him.
Police said, in reality, Smollett had paid Ola and Abel Osundairo to stage the attack
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