CHICAGO — Jussie Smollett has refused to pay more than $130,000 to reimburse Chicago investigative costs and the city said Thursday it will sue the “Empire” actor for the money as reimbursement for investigating what officials say was phoney racist, anti-gay attack that Smollett staged.
Smollett, who is black and gay, maintains he told the truth in reporting to police that two masked men assaulted him in downtown Chicago on Jan. 29, shouting slurs and wrapping a rope around his neck. “As part of this legal action, the Law Department will pursue the full measure of damages allowed under the ordinance,” the statement from Chicago said. It didn’t say what those damages could be.
Much of the evidence that would have featured at a criminal trial would be presented at any civil trial. Smollett could also be required to sit for depositions, forcing him for the first time to explain evidence that prosecutors said demonstrated he was lying. Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot, who will be sworn in as Chicago’s mayor on May 20, could reverse any legal action Emanuel’s law office takes against Smollett in coming weeks. Lightfoot will be Chicago’s first black female mayor.
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