The decision to drop charges against “Empire” star Jussie Smollett may have stoked controversy in Chicago, but the actor still has the backing of a prominent CaliforniaDemocrat.
U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., was honored over the weekend at the NAACP Image Awards, where Smollett was also nominated — but lost — for best-supporting actor in a television drama for his role as Jamal Lyon on the Fox series. He was edged out by “Grey’s Anatomy” star Jesse Williams.
In an interview with “Extra,” Waters said it was the “correct thing” for prosecutors to dismiss all 16 felony counts against Smollett, who is black and gay. The “Empire” actor was accused of faking a racist, anti-gay attack on himself in January. Authorities said that in return for the charges being dropped, Smollett agreed to forfeit the $10,000 he put up to get out of jail and completed community service.
“First of all, we probably will never know all of the details,” Waters told “Extra.” “We’ve heard a lot of information. No one was hurt — that is, physically, killed, shot — he never committed a crime before, he forfeited the bail and it’s this kind of situation where they close the case all over the country every day. I have learned this isn’t unusual.” – READ MORE