PHOTOSJussie Smollett’s Legal Team Responds To New Charge Following Alleged Staged Attack
Jussie Smollett’s legal team has responded after the Empire actor, 37, was indicted by special prosecutor Dan Webb on Tuesday, February 11. The actor was hit with 6 new charges for his involvement in the alleged attack against him in January 2019.
Jussie’s attorney, Tina Glandian, released a statement to ET that read, “This indictment raises serious questions about the integrity of the investigation that led to the renewed charges against Mr. Smollett, not the least of which is the use of the same CPD detectives who were part of the original investigation into the attack on Mr. Smollett to conduct the current investigation, despite Mr. Smollett’s pending civil claims against the City of Chicago and CPD officers for malicious prosecution.”
The statement continued, “One of the two witnesses who testified before the grand jury is the very same detective Mr. Smollett is currently suing for his role in the initial prosecution of him. After more than five months of investigation, the Office of the Special Prosecutor has not found any evidence of wrongdoing whatsoever related to the dismissal of the charges against Mr. Smollett.”
Tina concluded, “Rather, the charges were appropriately dismissed the first time because they were not supported by the evidence. The attempt to re-prosecute Mr. Smollett one year later on the eve of the Cook County State’s Attorney election is clearly all about politics not justice.”
According to ET, based on the recommendation made by the Office of the Special Prosecutor, a Cook County grand jury came back with a six-count indictment charging Jussie with allegedly making four separate false reports to Chicago Police Department officers after he claimed he was a victim of a hate crime.
- Prosecutors Drop All Charges Against ‘Empire’ Actor Jussie Smollett
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On Tuesday, January 29, 2019 Jussie was hospitalized in Chicago after he was targeted in an alleged homophobic and racially charged hate crime. That Grape Juice reported the story first.
According to reports, at the time, two unknown offenders approached Jussie and yelled racial and homophobic slurs towards him as he was walking around. Soon after, Jussie was beat up and doused in an unknown chemical substance. One of the offenders allegedly wrapped a rope around Jussie’s neck before both suspects fled the scene.
However, in February 2019, Jussie became a suspect in his own case after he was accused of filing a false report. A little less then a month later the charges were dropped.
Tina told OK! at the time, “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. Jussie was attacked by two people he was unable to identify on January 29. 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. ”
