Jussie Smollett’s attorneys, Tina Glandian and Patricia Brown Holmes, released the following statement after an the actor made an “emergency court appearance” early Tuesday morning:
“Today, all criminal charges against Jussie Smollett were dropped and his record has been wiped clean of the filing of this tragic complaint against him. Jussie was attacked by two people he was unable to identify on January 29th. He was a victim who was vilified and made to appear as a perpetrator as a result of false and inappropriate remarks made to the public causing an inappropriate rush to judgement. Jussie and many others were hurt by these unfair and unwarranted actions. This entire situation is a reminder that there should never be an attempt to prove a case in the court of public opinion. That is wrong. It is a reminder that a victim, in this case Jussie, deserves dignity and respect. Dismissal of charges against the victim in this case was the only just result. Jussie is relieved to have this situation behind him and is very much looking forward to getting back to focusing on his family, friends and career.”
Less than two weeks ago, the Empire star pleaded not guilty to 16 counts of disorderly conduct for allegedly lying about being a victim to a hate crime back in January. CBS Chicago is also reporting that the judge requested for the case to be sealed but Smollett will still have to forfeit the $10,000 bail he posted to the city of Chicago. The cause for the sudden drop in charges is still unclear. In an email, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office simply stated that the money Smollett paid for bail in conjunction with his volunteer service is a just ending to this case. The email read:
“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”
This tangled web of a story is still unfolding, so check back for updates.
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