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Sixteen. That’s the number of felony counts a Cook County grand jury returned against actor Jussie Smollett this afternoon. This comes after the former Empire star was charged last month with felony disorderly conduct in relation to the filing of a false report of a hate crime. So much for the man who, on Twitter, describes himself as “simply here to help save the world. Nothing is more important than love.”
BREAKING: Grand jury returns 16 count felony indictment against "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett. https://t.co/nM7ZYyCWTE pic.twitter.com/sfq5ZJ83qh
— ABC News (@ABC) March 8, 2019
Smollett has a funny way of showing that “love” and desire to “help save the world”. In case you missed it, he claimed two men wearing MAGA hats assaulted him late one night. We covered the story extensively as it unfolded. This post by Kim details how his tale began to unravel, turning him from victim to suspect.
Who can forget Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson discussing Smollett’s actions?
According to CWB Chicago:
The grand jury’s true bill states that Smollett lied about the attack to two separate police officers–the beat cop who took his initial report and a detective who conducted a follow-up interview the same day. . . The new charges against Smollett each carry a potential sentence of probation to four years if convicted.”
From Chicago’s CBS affiliate:
‘Jussie Smollett knew that at the time … there was no reasonable ground for believing that such offenses had been committed,’ according to the indictment.”
According to TMZ, the grand jury charged Smollett with “EACH allegedly false statement he made during the 2 interviews with cops.”
As for why there are so many counts … the grand jury reportedly handed up 2 sets of charges — one for Smollett’s initial report to Chicago PD, and the other charges are for Jussie’s second interview with cops.
We’re told Ola and Abel Osundairo told grand jurors Jussie hired them to stage the so-called ‘attack.'”
Smollett has gone from TV star and activist to accused criminal and why? According to police, it was because he was dissatisfied with his salary on the TV show Empire. Now he faces mounting legal fees, the possible loss of his freedom and for what? Because he couldn’t deal with an issue in a mature and adult manner?
Well, he got his spotlight. It just wasn’t exactly the one he wanted. Now all we have to do is see how it finishes playing out in the Chicago courts.
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Featured image: Booking photo of Jussie Smollett (Chicago Police Department)
De says: Six months per count = 8 years. That sounds fair. Jussie will then have the more serious federal charge of mailing a death threat through the USPS.
Amanda Green says: Wouldn’t that be nice? Unfortunately, I don’t see him having to serve any time. They already have started setting up their “poor me” defense. How much you want to bet that in six months we’ll check on the case and find it either dismissed or a sweetheart plea deal given?
GWB says: Yo, bro. Who’d you piss off?
Amanda Green says: To start? The superintendent of the CPD. He was not amused in the slightest, either with the allegations or with the waste of CPD manpower. Can’t say I blame him, either.
GWB says: Yeah, but it was the grand jury that came back with an indictment for each lie he told. He ticked off some regular Chicagoans, too, methinks.
F.D.R. in Hell says: Not to worry, boy. Tonight at dinner, Lucifer told us, “I’m in Justin’s corner.”
Bill G says: Far too many charges to stand, in Chicago, against a black gay. But the federal charges regarding the Mail hoax threat could be real trouble.
Amanda Green says: Yeah, they’ll plead it down. I just wish I had more faith in the Feds actually doing something. There are too many of these sorts of accusations being falsely made. That will continue until there are consequences, heavy consequences, doled out.
GWB says: Annnnnnddddddd…
Charges dropped!
The explanation? From TMZ:
State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s office says, “After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smollett’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.”
The statement is consistent with what our sources said about Jussie only getting community service if he’d been convicted. The decision is NOT sitting well with Chicago PD.
Note that last line.
A little more from TMZ:
she was dropping the case because Jussie would have only gotten community service if convicted and she said he has already performed community service so there is no point in prosecuting him. We could not find any record of Smollett doing community service.
Once again, Hollywood privilege prevails over justice.
(Oh, and the SA is full of s**t!)
Jim says: A nasty thought came to mind: imaging Smollett and Chelsea Manning sharing a cell?
Marta Hernandez says: I’ll go one further. Jussie will be the catcher, so he can blame the fugly white man for exercising his white power privilege on his ass.
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