Actor Jussie Smollett appeared in court on Monday in the revived criminal case against him. A special prosecutor got him indicted earlier this month on six counts of disorderly conduct related to the alleged hoax hate crime he reported.
The defendant pleaded not guilty.
Jussie Smollett enters not guilty plea on 6 new counts of lying to PD. Denied motion to vacate. https://t.co/KlTcHXGRbt
— Matt Finn (@MattFinnFNC) February 24, 2020
Smollett’s case has been a roller coaster from day one. The actor, who is black and gay, said he was the victim of a homophobic, racist assault in Chicago by men who told him this was “MAGA Country.”
Police began by treating him as the alleged victim. After investigation further, they said he concocted the so-called attack with the help of two brothers, Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo.
Brothers Ola and Abel Osundairo are here for Jussie Smollett’s court appearance.
They are here voluntarily.
Haven’t seen/spoken to Smollett in person since fallout from the reported attack.
Abel (pictured here in glasses). Ola not in frame. @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/djfSrapdqB
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) February 24, 2020
Cops went at Smollett in the press, and yet the office of State’s Attorney Kim Foxx dropped the case–a move that surprised pretty much everybody. All the actor had to do was community service, and forfeit his $10,000 bond to the city. The city sued Smollett. Smollett sued the city. A former judge filed a petition to get a special prosecutor on the case, and that succeeded.
Consequently, Smollett has been charged again over this incident.
[Image via Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images]
