Jussie Smollett arrested for filing a false police report, Chicago police reveal new details
UPDATE: Feb. 21, 2019, 11:54 a.m. EST A statement from 20th Century Fox Television and Fox Entertainment has been included below.
Jussie Smollett, the Empire actor who alleged he was the victim of a hate crime in January, turned himself into the police Thursday morning for filing a false police report.
Smollett allegedly orchestrated a false hate crime against himself using two individuals he paid $3,500 to attack him using racial, homophobic, and political language and symbols, Chicago Police Department superintendent Eddie Johnson said in a news briefing Thursday.
According to the police, Smollett orchestrated the attack because he was dissatisfied with his salary.
Smollett was charged with disorderly conduct for filing a false police report, which according to CBS Chicago could see Smollett facing up to one and a half years in prison.
The two brothers who helped stage the attack, Ola and Abel Osundairo, testified to a grand jury on Wednesday and have been released without charges. According to phone records, Smollett spoke to the brothers on the phone about an hour before the attack and also after the attack.
During the news briefing, Johnson expressed his anger at Smollett for creating this publicity stunt and taking advantage of very real hatred against people and suffering of those people for personal gain.
"How can an individual who's been embraced by the city of Chicago turn around and slap everyone in this city in the face by making these false claims," Johnson said.
Along with staging the attack, Johnson said Smollett also sent a fake letter using similarly racial, homophobic, and political language to the Empire set days before the attack.
On Wednesday night, Smollett's attorney released a statement saying they would be aggressively defending Smollett.
“Like any other citizen, Mr. Smollett enjoys the presumption of innocence, particularly when there has been an investigation like this one where information, both true and false, has been repeatedly leaked," the statement reads. "Given these circumstances, we intend to conduct a thorough investigation and to mount an aggressive defense.”
20th Century Fox Television and Fox Entertainment to My blog, saying, "We understand the seriousness of this matter and we respect the legal process. We are evaluating the situation and we are considering our options."
Johnson also brought up the fact that he wished the media gave as much attention to victims of gun violence as they did to this one particular case with Smollett.
"Before I get started I look out into the crowd, I just wish that the families of gun violence in this city got this much attention because that's who really deserves the amount of attention that we are giving to this particular in distinct," Johnson said
Johnson noted that the investigation into Smollett did not defer any resources from investigations into violent crimes.
Shame for the black race.
Shame for the black race.
That guy has ISSUES and needs some help....I am tired of hearing about it....hes not helping others who have real claims....
ReplyDeletePrayers for this guy!
ReplyDeleteThis whole story has been so juicy and fun to watch, I’m almost sad it’s over
ReplyDeleteWhat a tool.
ReplyDeleteHe might get an award for this one.
ReplyDeleteSo sad Jussie.
ReplyDeleteI wondered that too. I didn’t even know who he was. We don’t watch much TV anymore .
ReplyDeleteIt doesn’t surprise me or my husband we knew it was staged from day one. I hope they throw the book at him so it discourages others to follow in his footsteps.😉
ReplyDeleteTired of hearing about this. Another celeb throwing a temper tantrum. And he has sucked a lot of time and attention with it. Why is this getting SO. MUCH.MEDIA.ATTENTION.
ReplyDeleteLmfao well he loves dropping the soap so
ReplyDeleteI hope he gets arrested. I hope he pays for what he’s done. I am not a Trump supporter by any means. But doing what he did sets us back does not help our case any bit. I back the LGTBQ All the Way I don’t like racism I don’t like hate. But lying to further your career in a time like this is wrong.
ReplyDeleteI hope the 3500 he paid those two men was worth losing his career.
ReplyDeleteIts NOT just a false police report!
ReplyDeleteCan he do that?
ReplyDeleteSurely there must be some vetting process.
This isn't Terminator 2.
Jussie can sleep peacefully tonight.
ReplyDeleteHis attacker has been captured.
WOOMP THERE IT IS!
ReplyDelete����
He turned himself into? Was it a magic spell?
ReplyDeleteHey Jessie Khloe is AVAILABLE.
ReplyDeletePlayed the race-card and Trumped himself!������
ReplyDeleteI bet money they find his DNA on the stamps that were on the letter sent to the set of Empire too.
ReplyDeleteI was hopeing he would make a run for it !!
ReplyDeleteNice suit! Soon with large horizontal pinstripes!
ReplyDeleteI’m really disappointed.
ReplyDeleteWhat about all the women that don't get arrested for false police rape reports on Social media?
ReplyDeleteNo he didn't. He turned himself in to the police.
ReplyDeleteTwo words.
What your title implies is that he transformed himself into the police.
Use take two seconds to use grammerly before hitting "publish". It's really not that hard.
This is very horrible as in this world we are all working to “stop hate crimes of ALL TYPES”. I can see nor understand any reason why Jessie felt it right to ‘hire 2 friends & pay them $ to do this IF IT is confirmed he did. Would be an absolute shame to him, Family, friends as it would be to all human beings
ReplyDeleteHe knew what he doing. Sad thing he will just get a slap on the hand because of who he is.
ReplyDeleteI bet this absolutely killed Mashable, when they decided they had to address it.
ReplyDeleteHe should of just taken a knee like Colin Kaepernick
ReplyDeleteHERE COMES THE LIBERAL MELTDOWNS!!!! OH MY!! WE CAN'T BLAME DONALD TRUMP SOMEHOW!
ReplyDeleteSo disappointed. To resort to something like this over a salary is absurd. Shame on you Jussie
ReplyDeleteThe gay Tupac... lmfao
ReplyDeleteFinally someone held accountable for bashing our enthenicity.
ReplyDeleteJust finally proves it has all been a hoax.
Do not feel guilty about anyone who trashes you
National emergency!!!
ReplyDeleteSo is empire hiring a replacement I did a lil acting in high school I don’t lie about fraudulent attacks and I can learn all my lines ��
ReplyDeleteClaims he was trying to get a raise at work...this has to be a prank gone wrong!
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised he hasn't been nominated for an award by the left:)
ReplyDeleteJAIL him for a long time... Start with FEDERAL ‘hate crime’ and mail fraud violations- that’s worth about 10 YEARS!
ReplyDeleteJust another hate crime towards Trump supporters and will only get a slap with no media coverage. Falsehoods seem to get all the best coverage and not the were dumbasses for jumping the gun once again.
ReplyDelete