In a shocking announcement Tuesday morning, prosecutors dropped all charges Tuesday against “Empire” star Jussie Smollett, just weeks after he was indicted on 16 counts of disorderly conduct for filing a false police report about being the victim of an alleged hate-crime attack.
Whether you believe him or not, Smollett is a free man.
"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," according to a statement from the office of the Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx, sent to USA TODAY by her spokeswoman, Tandra Simonton.
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Following a surprise hearing, Smollett and his legal team addressed a crowd of reporters in a courthouse hallway.
“I have been truthful and consistent on every single level since Day 1,” Smollett said. “It’s been an incredibly difficult time. One of the worst of my entire life.... Now I would like nothing more than to just to get back to work and get on with my life.”
The judge presiding over the case granted a "nolle pros," which essentially means that the case has been dropped and that he will no longer be prosecuted for the alleged crime.
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We first reported on the story when it happened, but as more details started to come out, more people became suspicious that Smollett may not have been fully transparent. Smollett previously pled "not guilty" to 16 counts of disorderly conduct stemming from the alleged incident in which he claimed two men beat him, poured bleach on him and placed a rope around his neck before yelling, "This is MAGA country." His lawyer, Tina Glandian, entered the plea on Smollett’s behalf just hours after Judge Steven Watkins was assigned the case. The next court date was previously scheduled for April 17.
However,...
...Smollett was brought in for an emergency court session in which the judge ruled the case against him would be dropped.
Many doubted the truthfulness of Smollett when Fraternal Order of Police President Kevin Graham wrote the Justice Department following reports that Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx asked Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson to let the FBI investigate Smollett's allegations. The allegations detailed that he was attacked by two masked men after the former chief of staff to former first lady Michelle Obama allegedly informed Foxx that Smollett's family had concerns about the probe.
Smollett attorneys Tina Glandian and Patricia Brown Holmes said in a statement that Smollett's record "has been wiped clean."
