Suspect: It's the New Role for Jussie Smollett

February 20, 2019

Suspect: It’s the New Role for Jussie Smollett

by Kim Hirsch in Headlines 10 Comments

UPDATED BELOW.

Lots of people were wondering if it would ever get to this point, but Jussie Smollett is officially a suspect in a hate crime hoax. And those are the words of the Chicago Police Department, not TMZ or any other entertainment blog jumping the gun.

Here’s the official word from Anthony Gugliemi, spokesman for the CPD:

Case Update: Jussie Smollett is now officially classified as a suspect in a criminal investigation by #ChicagoPolice for filing a false police report (Class 4 felony). Detectives are currently presenting evidence before a Cook County Grand Jury. pic.twitter.com/FhDcbBKsuU

— Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) February 20, 2019

The news broke after Smollett’s attorneys met with prosecutors and detectives.

And speaking of prosecutors and detectives, there have been some shake-ups in that area, too.

For example, Illinois State’s Attorney Kim Foxx has recused herself from the investigation since she had had conversations with Smollett’s family, according to an adviser:

“Shortly after the incident occurred in late January, State’s Attorney Foxx had conversations with a family member of Jussie Smollett about the incident and their concerns. . . .”

“Based on those prior conversations and out of an abundance of caution, last week State’s Attorney Foxx decided to remove herself from the decision-making,”

On top of that, Jussie Smollett has hired a Big Gun attorney. You probably have heard the name Mark Geragos, who’s represented Winona Ryder, Sean “Diddy” Combs, and the late Michael Jackson.

Oh, but there’s more!

Like this surveillance video of Ola and Abel Osundairo purchasing a red hat and ski masks before their “racist attack” on the “victim.”

It’s Chicago. Did they not think about surveillance cameras in every store?

Now at this time, Smollett is a suspect charged with filing a false report of an attack. However, it could get much worse, especially if he was behind that threat letter he said he received. Those would be federal charges.

And that letter may have been Smollett’s biggest blunder, since the US Postal Inspectors don’t mess around. As a North Side Chicago cop, who worked with inspectors last year, said:

“Those postal guys are the real deal.They can do amazing things and aren’t afraid of the work.”

Consider that they’ve been around since the days of Benjamin Franklin and have honed their techniques over 200 years. And they’ve dealt with over 1000 “white powder” cases — like the Smollett letter — between 2007 and 2009.

Credit: Curtis Garbutt @ flickr. (CC by 2.0)

So if any suspect thinks that mailing a letter is untraceable, he should think again. It may be a small thing tripping him up — like keeping his cellphone in his pocket when he goes to mail the letter.

With the Smollett story taking a new turn, maybe Chicago detectives can soon get back to what they are really supposed to do — try their best to arrest other suspects in Chicago, like those who take the lives of others.

Or shoot toddler boys in the head.

John Kass, a writer for the Chicago Tribune, notes that as many as 24 detectives worked on the Smollett hoax case. And this in a city with a homicide clearance rate of 17%. Moreover, 19 people died violently on Chicago streets right after Smollett began spinning his tall tale. Another 78 have been wounded.

Little Dejon Irving is one of those wounded victims. Gangs were targeting his mother, apparently, and shot him in the head. Right now the one-year-old is on life support.

Kass wrote:

“I don’t think there were two dozen detectives assigned to Dejon Irving’s case. But he’s not a star to be used by politicians in pursuit of power. He’s not a symbol.

Politicians don’t tweet his name. He’s just a little boy from Chicago, shot in the head.”

But, politics must take priority, you know.

And now Jussie Smollett is a suspect for one — maybe two — crimes which he thought he could pull off. I have the feeling that Geragaos and Co. will be able to plead his case down to minimal punishment, maybe even probation. And that would be a shame. The beleaguered city of Chicago has gone through an emotional wringer because of him. And true crime victims in the city haven’t been able to receive the attention they truly deserved. Like little Dejon Irving.

UPDATE: The Cook County State’s Attorney is charging Jussie Smollett — with disorderly conduct, which is a felony.

BREAKING—

The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office has approved a disorderly conduct charge on Jussie Smollett.@cbschicago https://t.co/GT6h2g6Y9a

— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) February 21, 2019

Meanwhile, Gloria Schmidt, the attorney for the Osundairo brothers, says she doesn’t know how Jussie Smollett can sleep at night.

Smollett is also the cover boy for the New York Post:

Tomorrow's cover: 'Empire' star Jussie Smollett slapped with felony rap for filing a false police report https://t.co/8G8AO9XqXD pic.twitter.com/s0J6TxbphQ

— New York Post (@nypost) February 21, 2019

But it’s not over yet, because we don’t know what will come from that hate letter. The Feds now have the next move.

Featured image: cropped from pixabay.

Chicago hate crime Jussie Smollett

Written by Kim Hirsch

Kim is a pint-sized patriot who packs some big contradictions. She is a Baby Boomer who never became a hippie, an active Republican who first registered as a Democrat (okay, it was to help a sorority sister's father in his run for sheriff), and a devout Lutheran who practices yoga. Growing up in small-town Indiana, now living in the Kansas City metro, Kim is a conservative Midwestern gal whose heart is also in the Seattle area, where her eldest daughter, son-in-law, and grandson live. Kim is a working speech pathologist who left school system employment behind to subcontract to an agency, and has never looked back. She describes her conservatism as falling in the mold of Russell Kirk's Ten Conservative Principles. Don't know what they are? Google them!

10 Comments

Brian Brandt says:

February 20, 2019 at 4:56 pm

Every Progressive in America was duped by this story. Not a single Deplorable believed it. And yet they still thing we’re the stupid ones.

Reply
GWB says:

February 20, 2019 at 5:33 pm

That’s a pic of a white guy in handcuffs! RACISS! You’re denying the man his blackness!
AAArrrrgggghhhh!!!!!

Reply
GWB says:

February 20, 2019 at 5:40 pm

I hope Jussie does a turn in the county hoosegow at the least. He deserves to suffer some for his slander.
And, yes, it was slander that was his biggest crime – slander of every single supporter of President Trump.

Reply
- Kim Hirsch says:
  
  February 20, 2019 at 6:27 pm
  
  Me too (and I don’t say that in the feminist sense).
  
  I’m not holding my breath, though.
  
  Reply
  - Writing Observer says:
    
    February 20, 2019 at 10:06 pm
    
    Well, Smollet has now been indicted. Considering the likely makeup of a Cook County Grand Jury, it happened in RECORD time, too. (Almost like the foreman picked up the case folder, looked around, everybody said “yup,” and they moved on to the HARD decisions.)
    
    Maybe he won’t be convicted, and probably he won’t get any jail time (probation, at worst). However, I think that he, and the brothers, will be main features in compilations of “America’s Stupidest Criminals” for YEARS to come.
    
    Reply
    - GWB says:
      
      February 22, 2019 at 8:05 am
      
      And now he’s been dropped from Empire for the rest of the season.
      
      Reply
Tyler says:

February 21, 2019 at 5:21 am

It was fake from the very beginning. If you get beat up and have a nose(noose, knoose, I can’t English) around your neck with bleach all over you and don’t call the police, it’s obviously fake. Plus when he said he was “beaten up” you would think he, or anybody in their right mind, would go to the hospital because he had a “broken rib” or whatever the supposed damage was. And finally, with not being able to find the people who committed that crime within the first day or 2, he was struck and going to lose from the beginning. Actions have consequences and this consequence is going to be a big one for him.

Reply
- GWB says:
  
  February 21, 2019 at 6:12 am
  
  It’s almost like these people believe the propaganda they spout about the police not caring about the crimes against them. Then they’re shocked to have the police investigate, and their truly lame story crumbles.
  
  Reply
Jim says:

February 21, 2019 at 4:11 pm

I believe Mr Smollett may have to pay costs to the Police – fair enough. If he goes to gaol – which he should for his race crime – he will also have to pay when he picks up the soap in the showers.

Reply
- scott says:
  
  February 21, 2019 at 8:10 pm
  
  he’ll enjoy that part…
  
  Reply

Suspect: It’s the New Role for Jussie Smollett

Written by Kim Hirsch

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