Jussie Smollett. Photo: Amanda Edwards/WireImage In January 2019, Empire actor Jussie Smollett was beaten by two men who yelled racist and homophobic slurs at him, and put his head in a noose — an attack that was first investigated as a violent hate crime but quickly grew to be much more complicated.
On Valentine’s Day 2019, Smollett appeared on Good Morning America, where he gave his first in-depth interview about what transpired the night of the attack. By then, some were starting to question the validity of Smollett’s account, as well as why he was apprehensive about giving his phone to the police, which Smollett attempted to address on the show. “I’m sorry but I’m not going to do that,” Smollett said, explaining that he had “private pictures and videos and numbers.
Then–Hawaii representative Tulsi Gabbard echoed these sentiments, tweeting that if it was proven Smollett orchestrated a hoax, he “will have done a terrible disservice to actual victims and future victims of hate crimes. It will be much less likely for future victims to be believed.” At a press briefing, CPD superintendent Eddie Johnson essentially confirmed that Smollett orchestrated the attack because he was dissatisfied with his Empire salary on the TV series, and that he sent the threatening letter to himself. Johnson also expressed outrage over Smollett’s exploitation of racial tension. “I know the racial divide that exists here,” said Johnson, who is Black. “I know how hard it’s been for our city and our nation to come together.
According to a source close to Smollett, the prosecution’s case against the actor “disintegrated,” they told TMZ. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that records had been sealed and that the case was expunged from Smollett’s record. In a statement released following the court appearance, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office said they believed “this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case.