Jussie Smollett Charged With Felony Disorderly Conduct: The Internet Reacts to Alleged Hoax
Jussie Smollett has officially been charged in the case of his alleged hate crime hoax, and the internet has a lot of feelings about it.
The Empire star, who claimed he was the subject of a homophobic and racist attack in Chicago on Jan. 29, was charged with felony disorderly conduct for allegedly filing a false police report, Anthony Guglielmi, Chief Communications Officer for the Chicago Police Department, revealed on Wednesday.
ET has learned that a bond court hearing is set for 1:30 p.m. on Thursday. In a statement to ET, Smollett's attorneys, Todd Pugh and Victor Henderson said: “Like any other citizen, Mr. Smollett enjoys the presumption of innocence, particularly when there has been an investigation like this one where information, both true and false, has been repeatedly leaked. Given these circumstances, we intend to conduct a thorough investigation and to mount an aggressive defense."
Fans and former supporters of Smollett's took to Twitter on Wednesday night to react to the news. While some still said they believed the actor's story, others are calling him out for possibly making things harder for actual hate crime victims. See what the internet had to say below:
The whole world at Jussie Smollett pic.twitter.com/5MDlFKbmBK
— T. I. M. The Writer (@Timthewriter_) February 21, 2019
TFW we’re mere hours away from that Jussie Smollett mugshot... pic.twitter.com/MimRk4S1D8
— David Santa Carla (@DavidSC666) February 21, 2019
This Jussie Smollett story is pretty disappointing. Not only cause it’s a shitty stupid thing to do, but all he has done is make it more difficult for future hate crime victims to have their stories believed and validated.
— Denizcan Grimes (@MrFilmkritik) February 21, 2019
Ugh. I'm sad about the whole Jussie Smollett thing. Obviously I'm happy the crime didn't actually happen, but I'm sad that we've apparently reached a point where victimhood is so virtuous that you'd risk absolutely everything to gain it.
— Allie Beth Stuckey (@conservmillen) February 21, 2019
This entire Jussie Smollett case... I just don’t understand pic.twitter.com/k4th8axqqs
— Salem Westallen 💜⚡️ (@4lifeofs) February 21, 2019
If you are using Jussie Smollett and one potentially fake hate crime to erase overall hate crimes spiking for three years in a row, there is a special place in hell reserved for you.
— Adam Best (@adamcbest) February 21, 2019
If Jussie Smollett lied, he does need to go to jail and his career and role in empire should be cut. There are real people out here going through real life abuse, hate crimes and harassment. This isn’t fair to the people who actually tell the TRUTH about their stories.
— Masin Elijé (@MasinElije) February 21, 2019
So it actually was a #HateCrimehttps://t.co/Kpz4ySYWSy
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) February 21, 2019
The Black American Delegation would like to trade Jussie Smollett for 21 Savage, please. pic.twitter.com/iHeVYPH8Zk
— Tricia Jay (@wittiest8theist) February 20, 2019
MAGA folks DEMANDING an apology for believing Jussie Smollett, I don’t owe you anything. Jussie might. I hate to tell you, but I can be disappointed, saddened & angry at Jussie for hurting the cause; and still think MAGA supporters are trash. The two are not mutually exclusive.
— Dana Goldberg (@DGComedy) February 21, 2019
How has #JussieSmollett not changed his Twitter bio??? pic.twitter.com/OmZxmz0vEX
— J Owen Shroyer (@allidoisowen) February 21, 2019
Almost got away with it, if it wasn't for those pesky kids! #JussieSmollett#JussieSmolletteHoaxpic.twitter.com/T5MRsVkhuC
— General Caboose (@gencaboose) February 21, 2019
Jussie Smollett getting arrested for staging his own hate crime, colorized 2019 pic.twitter.com/n3oSqOy2dr
— Kaitlin Bennett (@KaitMarieox) February 21, 2019
Me trying to figure out why Jussie Smollett would purposely plan a racist and homophobic attack pic.twitter.com/cNSM83aBSK
— cam. (@__camwhite) February 20, 2019
Me @ Jussie Smollett pic.twitter.com/vLMG05iqqk
— Here So She Won't Get Fined (@okoyeslacefront) February 20, 2019
Wow this Jussie Smollett case...... chile pic.twitter.com/0Jlh88TFTB
— Johnny Boy 🧚🏽♂️✨ (@JohnTheFame) February 20, 2019
#Jussie Smollett pic.twitter.com/jrDMsAiIqu
— Calvin Caines (@CalvinCaines) February 20, 2019
The charge against Smollett came just hours after Guglielmi shared that Smollett was classified as a suspect in the case, following the Chicago Police Department's weeks-long investigation.
CBS News reported on Saturday that Nigerian brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo -- who were previously arrested last week and then released without charges -- claimed to police after their home was raided that Smollett knows them and further alleged that the actor "paid them to participate in the alleged attack." Smollett has vehemently denied this accusation through his lawyers. According to the brothers' attorney, Ola worked as an extra on Empire in season two, while Abel was Smollett's personal trainer.
See more on the case in the video below.
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Jussie Smollett Case: Everything We Know About the Alleged Attack
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Jussie Smollett Officially Classified as Suspect in Own Alleged Attack
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