Actor Jussie Smollett turns himself in to police after being charged with making false report
After being charged last night by the Chicago PD with disorderly conduct after filing a false report, “Empire” actor / singer Jussie Smollett has turned himself in to police and is now under arrest and in custody. The 36-year-old actor had filed a report saying that on January 29, he had been attacked in an apparent homophobic hate crime by two white men who restrained him, poured a caustic liquid over him and tied a noose around his neck. The alleged attack took place in downtown Chicago and seemed to be viewed by many as “fishy.”
Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said that he’d be holding a press conference later this morning, according to WSVN. Smollett will make his first court appearance this afternoon to face criminal charges. If convicted of this Class 4 felony, Smollett could be looking at a maximum sentence of three years behind bars.
Smollett was charged with disorderly conduct, a Class 4 felony that carries a potential sentence of one to three years in prison and substantial fines. The charge came just hours after Smollett was officially classified as a suspect in a criminal investigation by Chicago police, who presented evidence before a Cook County grand jury, ~ per USA Today
Yesterday, after the “Empire” actor was charged, Fox News shared a statement released by Smollett’s legal team of Todd Pugh and Victor Henderson: “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.”
For more on this very strange story, see the video below accompanying this article.
~ Posted by: Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Connect with Richard on Facebook and Twitter
