Prosecutors drop all charges against Jussie Smollett
Jussie Smollett will not be prosecuted for allegedly staging his own attack as all charges have been dropped, a decision that shocked the Chicago Police Department.
The Empire star addressed the media on Tuesday and once again declared he has “been truthful and consistent on every level since day one.”
“I would not be my mother’s son if I was capable of one drop of what I’ve been accused of,” Smollett said. “This has been an incredibly difficult time. Honestly one of the worst of my entire life.”
The actor made an emergency court appearance in Chicago as his representative, Anne Kavanaugh, said it involved a big development in the investigation. She did not offer further details and a judge granted a motion to seal the case, per CBS Chicago.
“Today, all criminal charges against Jussie Smollett were dropped and his record has been wiped clean of the filing of this tragic complaint against him,” attorneys for Smollett tell Yahoo Entertainment in a statement. “Jussie was attacked by two people he was unable to identify on January 29th. He was a victim who was vilified and made to appear as a perpetrator as a result of false and inappropriate remarks made to the public causing an inappropriate rush to judgment. Jussie and many others were hurt by these unfair and unwarranted actions.”
“This entire situation is a reminder that there should never be an attempt to prove a case in the court of public opinion,” this statement continues. “That is wrong. 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 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.”
A spokesperson for 20th Century Fox Television and Fox Entertainment tells Yahoo Entertainment, “Jussie Smollett has always maintained his innocence and we are gratified that all charges against him have been dismissed.”
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office tells Yahoo Entertainment, “After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smollet’s volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago, we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case.”
A representative for the actor said at Tuesday’s press conference he agreed to surrender his $10,000 bond voluntarily and that it was not part of a deal. Smollett also addressed the media.
“First of all I want to thank my family, my friends, the incredible people of Chicago and all over the country and the world who have prayed for me, who have supported me and who have showed me so much love,” he began. “No one will ever know how much that has meant to me and I will be forever grateful. I want you to know that not for a moment was it in vain. I have been truthful and consistent on every level since day one. I would not be my mother’s son if I was capable of one drop of what I’ve been accused of.
“This has been an incredibly difficult time. Honestly one of the worst of my entire life,” he continued. “But I am a man of faith and I am a man that has knowledge of my history and I would not bring my family, our lives or the movement through a fire like this. I just wouldn’t.”
Smollett concluded, “Now I’d like nothing more than to get back to work and move on with my life. But make no mistakes, I will always continue to fight for the justice, equality and betterment of marginalized people everywhere. So again thank you for all the support. Thank you for faith and thank you to God. Bless you. Thank you very much.”
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson held a press conference Tuesday afternoon and said they were stunned at the decision to drop all charges against Smollett.
“My personal opinion is that you all know where I stand in this. Do I think justice was served? No,” Johnson told reporters. “I think this city is still owed an apology.”
He continued, “I heard that they wanted their day in court with TV cameras so America could know the truth and they chose to hide behind secrecy and broker a deal to circumvent the judicial system. … I stand behind the detectives investigation.”
“I’d like to remind everybody that a grand jury indicted this individual based only on a piece of the evidence that the police had collected in that period of time,” Emanuel said, adding the $10,000 bond Smollett fortified “doesn’t even come close to what the city spent in resources. And he did this all in the name of self-promotion.”
“Because of the judge’s decision, none of [the] evidence will ever be made public. None of it,” Emanuel continued. “This is without a doubt a whitewash of justice and sends a clear message that if you’re in a position of influence and power you’ll get treated one way, other people will be treated another way.”
The mayor also called out the “ethical cost.”
“You have a person using hate crime laws that are on the books to protect people who are minorities from violence, to then turn around and use those laws to advance your career and your financial reward — is there no decency in this man?” he asked.
“At the end of the day it’s Mr. Smollett who committed this hoax. Period,” Johnson added. “If he wanted to clear his name the way to do that was in a court of law so that everyone could see the evidence.”
The Smollett family released a statement condemning the “heartbreaking and unjust” treatment of the actor over the past seven weeks.
On Mar. 14, Smollett pleaded not guilty to charges of filing a false police report. A grand jury indicted the television star on 16 felony counts of disorderly conduct — one for each supposed lie he told police — for supposedly staging his own hate crime. The actor has maintained his innocence ever since the story blew up following the alleged attack on Jan. 29. He and his attorneys are expected to hold a press conference after court.
Story developing…
Read more on Yahoo Entertainment:
Want daily pop culture news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo Entertainment & Lifestyle’s newsletter.