Chicago PD Releases 70 Hours of Damning Smollett Case Footage
Chicago police on Monday released video and investigative files related the alleged staged attack involving Jussie Smollett.
In January, Smollett, a gay and black actor who was then a star on the show “Empire,” claimed to be the victim of a homophobic and racist hate crime attack perpetrated by two men.
However, Smollett’s claims were sketchy at best.
And soon, police started investigating whether or not he had staged the attack himself.
The results of the police investigation eventually determined that Smollett had made “false reports to police claiming to be the victim of an Aggravated Battery.”
While police characterized the incident as a hoax, the charges against Smollett were soon dismissed by Cook County prosecutors.
The resulting tension between the prosecutor’s office and the police department has caused both parties to come under scrutiny.
As such, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office’s handling of the case is now being investigated, while the Chicago Police Department has stood behind its claim that Smollett fabricated the attack.
Now, police have made public a voluminous archive of files related to the case.
“We stand firmly behind the work of detectives in investigating the fabricated incident reported by Jussie Smollett & #ChicagoPolice will fully cooperate with the court appointed special prosecutor,” Anthony Guglielmi, the department’s chief communications officer, wrote on Twitter.
We stand firmly behind the work of detectives in investigating the fabricated incident reported by Jussie Smollett & #ChicagoPolice will fully cooperate with the court appointed special prosecutor. pic.twitter.com/bCDF0NYfzP
— Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) June 21, 2019
One of the body camera videos released by police appears to show Smollett as officers are entering his apartment following the alleged incident in question.
He is standing in his main living area with large loops of rope draped across his chest — something his manager had characterized as a “noose,” according to WLS-TV.
After police ask if he wants to remove the rope from his chest and neck, Smollett complies, but not before saying, “I just wanted y’all to see.”
“There’s bleach on me. They poured bleach on me,” Smollett adds.
WARNING: The following video contains vulgar language that some viewers may find offensive. Viewer discretion is advised.
“There’s bleach on me. They poured bleach on me,” Jussie Smollett told police the night of the alleged attack in Chicago. “Do you want to take it off or anything?” Chicago police officer asks Jussie Smollett about the rope around his neck. https://t.co/4mmKwNVaBb pic.twitter.com/WfsuKc3PrW
— CBS Chicago (@cbschicago) June 24, 2019
The blurred effect over Smollett’s face in the video is a result of the fact that he was originally considered to be the victim.
In total, police released almost 70 hours of video connected to the Smollett case, WLS-TV reported.
Later in the same video, Smollett’s manager asks the police officers to stop recording.
“You’re filming this right?” Smollett’s manager asks.
The officers acknowledged that they are.
“It’s his house,” one of the officers says.
“They are filming, the manager responds, according to WLS-TV. “Can we turn it off?
As noted above, the charges against Smollett were eventually dropped.
However, he had to agree to perform community service and forfeit his $10,000 bond payment.
And even still, he might not be out of the woods yet.
As WLS-TV noted, “A special prosecutor will soon be appointed to look into why Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx dropped the case and whether Smollett should be re-charged.”
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