All criminal charges against 'Empire' star Jussie Smollett have been dropped
Criminal charges against Jussie Smollett have been dropped after being accused of faking a police report claiming he was attacked earlier this year.
Back in January, it was reported that the Empire star was victim to a racist and homophobic attack though the tides swiftly turned against him and he was accused of making it all up in order to leverage more money from the show.
Smollett was facing 16 felony charges in Chicago but on Tuesday they were all dropped by the Cook Country State Attorney’s office.
“This has been an incredibly difficult time, honestly one of the worst of my entire life,” Smollett said. “But I am a man of faith and I am a man that has knowledge of my history and I would not bring my family, our lives or the movement through a fire like this. I just wouldn’t.”
The actor’s lawyers, Tina Glandian and Patricia Brown Holmes told Buzzfeed News that his record had been “wiped clean.”
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“He was a victim who was villified 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,” the lawyers said.
“Jussie and many others were hurt by these unfair and unwarranted actions. The entire situation is a reminder that there should never be an attempt to prove a case in the court of public opinion.”
A spokesperson for the Cook County State Attorney’s office said: “After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smollet’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.”
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Smollett has been accused of orchestrating the alleged attack with two brothers, who were extras on Empire, in order to gain public sympathy and increase his salary during the negotiations with Fox.
He was also accused of sending a letter threat to himself and was subsequently fired from the Fox show after Chicago P.D. filed criminal charges.
His family, in a statement, maintained that he was always innocent.
“He was the victim of an assault and then falsely blame for his own attack,” they said. “This morning truth has prevailed and he has been vindicated.”
