The mayor of Chicago believes Jussie Smollett is guilty of staging a racist, homophobic attack against himself last year and has vowed to make sure the actor is held accountable.
The former “Empire” star, 37, pleaded not guilty Monday to renewed charges brought against him related to allegedly staging a hate crime. Now, comments Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot made this week reveal her office is dedicated to proving he’s guilty.
“He needs to face the charges. He committed a crime, and he needs to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and we are going to continue to aggressively make him accountable for the wasted police resources that went into investigating what turned out to be a total hoax,” Lightfoot told a group of reporters, according to CBS 2 Chicago.
Smollett appeared in a Cook County court Monday, where his lawyer, Tina Glandian, entered not guilty pleas on his behalf to six counts of felony disorderly conduct. She also informed the judge that she has requested the Illinois Supreme Court halt the case.
The 37-year-old previously pleaded not guilty to 16 counts of the charge in the same courthouse last year, weeks before the Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s office announced it was dismissing the case. – READ MORE
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