Chicago police: Jussie Smollett considered suspect in his report of hate crime attack https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-new...sidered-suspect-his-report-hate-crime-n973036 Jussie Smollett has been classified as a suspect in the case that sprang from his reporting being a victim of a hate crime attack last month, police said Wednesday. "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," Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi tweeted. Smollett filed a report with the Chicago Police Department on Jan. 29 claiming that he was assaulted by two masked men who hurled racist and homophobic slurs. The "Empire" actor, who is black and gay, also said his attackers poured what he believed was bleach over him and put a noose around his neck. Police investigated the reported attack as a "possible hate crime," and some celebrities, including "Empire" cast members, and gay-rights advocates flocked to social media to express their support for Smollett. But some other social media users began to question Smollett's claims after police said they were not able to find video of the incident after going through a plethora of footage from many surveillance cameras in the affluent Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago where the attack allegedly occurred. On Jan. 30, police released pictures from a surveillance camera located near where Smollett said he was attacked that showed two men who police said were "potential persons of interest." The two men were taken into custody on Feb. 13 and questioned. They were released two days later, on Friday, without charges. Police said the two, who are brothers, are no longer suspects in the case and are cooperating in the probe. On Saturday, a police source said the probe had shifted into whether the actor had paid the two brothers, Ola and Abel Osundairo, to stage an assault. Investigators had discovered that the brothers had purchased the rope used in the alleged attack. Guglielmi said investigators wanted to have another interview with Smollett. Smollett didn't talk to police on Monday or Tuesday. However, Ola and Abel Osundairo met with police and prosecutors at a criminal court building on Tuesday, according to police spokesman Tom Ahern. That same afternoon, police investigated and then discounted a tip they received that Smollett was seen with the Osundairo brothers on the night of the attack. Guglielmi told NBC News on Wednesday that the investigation into the alleged attack has demanded "considerable" resources. He said, at one point, the department had 12 detectives scouring for surveillance videos. Smollet has told police he was on the phone with his manager during the alleged attack, and the manager said he heard the attackers say, "This is MAGA country." The actor refused to hand over his cellphone to police, but later gave investigators a PDF file containing a limited list of his calls. On Wednesday, Fox refuted a TMZ story claiming Smollett's scenes on the show were "getting slashed" from nine to four. "Jussie Smollett continues to be a consummate professional on set and as we have previously stated, he is not being written out of the show," 20th Century Fox Television and Fox Entertainment said in a statement. In his first interview about the incident last week, the actor told ABC's "Good Morning America" that he was angry about the alleged attack and that people were doubting him. "It feels like if I had said it was a Muslim or a Mexican or someone black, I feel like the doubters would have supported me a lot much more, and that says a lot about the place we are in our country right now," Smollett said.
shit, murderers get less. Other than a bunch of pissed off people and wasted resources, I often wonder what kind of punishment is on the books for such shenanigans. The risk of innocent men going to jail over said lies should obviously be weighted in sentencing, but media outrage & public outcry should play no part in a person's sentence.
The Chicago clearance rate for murders is among the lowest in the nation. It's not like they are doing a good job there. The reality in Chicago is that most murderers get nothing. So in Chicago even if Smollett gets probation, most murderers get less. Chicago police solved fewer than one in six homicides in the first half of 2018 https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...ance-rate-killing-murder-shooting/1368099002/
I've heard that the max for what he is currently being accused of carries a 3 year sentence, and/or 25K fine. Feds are still investigating the threatening letter. If he sent that as well then he'll probably get some time behind bars. If not, I suspect he'll get community service and the fine, which would be a travesty of justice considering the magnitude of what he was trying to pull off. The consequences could have been devastating. Do I think he should get 10 years or more? Not really. I think the 3 years would be sufficient.
yeah, I was thinking a year if this was a "victim less crime", but people being wrongfully convicted is a very real possibility over said lies, so a year is light in that case. Now, do we hold fake rape victims to the same standard?
Much more difficult to prove in the he said, she said type cases we've seen, but I do think anyone bringing false charges where it can be proven to have been done with malicious intent to defame or discredit the accused rapist, that person doing the accusing should do time.
Actor Jussie Smollett charged with felony https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/20/entertainment/jussie-smollett-attack/index.html A charge of disorderly conduct has been approved against "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett, according to an email from the Cook County State's Attorney's Office. Filing a false police report is disorderly conduct, according to Illinois code. Disorderly conduct is a class 4 felony, the State's Attorney Office says. A bail hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. CT Thursday. [Previous story, published at 7:58 p.m. ET] "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett was "officially classified" a suspect in a criminal investigation Wednesday for allegedly filing a false police report, according to a tweet from Chicago police spokesman Officer Anthony Guglielmi. A Cook County grand jury was hearing evidence just weeks after the young actor reported being the victim of a hate crime on January 29, the police spokesman said. Filing a false police report is a Class 4 felony. Smollett's transformation from victim to suspect in a reported crime that captured national headlines came on the same day that a high-ranking police source said Chicago detectives were working to obtain the actor's financial records. Investigators also have sought to ask the actor additional questions about the attack. CNN has reached out to Smollett's attorneys for comment.
When I heard the disorderly conduct thing that sounded screwy to me. But I guess it is felony there so maybe makes sense. All of these raps are classes and numbers now so the old names are less reliable. Too bad someone has not filed false accusation charges against the kavanaugh accusers. But as know referrals to the DOH/FBI for prosecution just fall into a black hole, unless they involve trump.
Honestly..... it wasn't about starting a "race war".... the dumb m'r-f'r was trying to pull a publicity stunt to increase sales on a soon to be released (summer 2019) unannounced album. He's been in the studio for it. On Fox's dime. Soooo... anybody wanna guess who's in the coffin at the end of season 5 here? https://tvline.com/2018/12/05/empire-andre-dies-trai-byers-leaving-season-5-coffin/ Hmmm. So tragic. We need a few (never before heard) tear-jerking, heart wrenching tracks that memorialize poor Jamal's brave and courageous journey that flew in the face of everything that dad, tough guy Lucious Lyon, ever held dear from his street origins for the season finale in which we lose our beloved Jamal to the the injustices of our cruel cruel (2019) (maga?) world. He really f'd up.... and its put Fox's writers in a pickle lol. Go with the plan guys....you can do it.... ......RIP Jamal. In the bigger picture... its sad actually... and proof positive once again.... that mental health issues know no socioeconomic barriers. Sometimes its worse at the top. That said... when the dust settles... he'll still sell records. Just not as many. He is talented. As these things go.... he won't be the last.