Prosecutors drop criminal charges against Jussie Smollett
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Jussie Smollett was accused of lying to police about being the target of a racist, anti-gay attack in downtown Chicago. (Source: AP Photo/Matt Marton)Prosecutors on Tuesday abruptly dropped all charges against Jussie Smollett, the Empire actor who was accused of lying to police about being the target of a racist, anti-gay attack in downtown Chicago, his attorneys said.
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Smolletts attorneys said his record had “been wiped clean” of the 16 felony counts related to making a false report that he was assaulted by two men. The actor insisted that he had “been truthful and consistent on every single level since day one.”
“I would not be my mothers son if I was capable of one drop of what I was being accused of,” he told reporters after a court hearing. He thanked the state of Illinois “for attempting to do whats right.”
It was not immediately clear what prompted the decision to dismiss the case. Typically, a minimum condition of dropping cases is some acceptance of responsibility. In a statement, the Cook County prosecutors office offered no detailed explanation.
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“After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smolletts 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,” the statement from spokeswoman Tandra Simonton said.
Smollett paid 10,000 dollars in bail to get out of jail after his arrest.
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Among the unanswered questions was whether prosecutors still believe Smollett concocted the attack and whether new evidence emerged that altered their view of events.
Smollett was accused of falsely reporting to authorities that he was attacked around 2 a.m. on Jan. 29 in downtown Chicago. Authorities said he made the report because he was unhappy with his pay on “Empire” and believed it would promote his career.
