The investigation into the alleged hate crime against “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett took a dramatic turn over the weekend. Police sources told reporters that new evidence suggests Smollett hired two friends from Nigeria to stage an attack on him in the streets of downtown Chicago on January 29.
Smollett claimed he was targeted by two masked Trump supporters who physically assaulted him, tied a noose around his neck, poured bleach on him, yelled “This is ‘MAGA’ country,” and called the actor a “f*****” and a “n*****.”
“The most important thing I can say is thank you so much, and I’m okay,” Smollett said at the start of the West Hollywood show, according to USA Today. “I’m not fully healed yet, but I’m going to. I’m going to stand strong with you all. … I had to be here tonight, y’all. I couldn’t let those motherf***ers win. I will always stand for love. I will only stand for love.”
#JussieSmollett takes the stage at the Troubadour. He gets emotional, saying he’s “not fully healed” but he will be. pic.twitter.com/OZ3LZqKeRQ
— Zulekha Nathoo (@ZulekhaNathoo) February 3, 2019