All charges against Jussie Smollett have been dropped and “his record has been wiped clean”

Police arrested Smollett on Feb. 21, accusing the actor of paying two brothers $3,500 to stage the attack in an effort to use the notoriety to advance his career.

The brothers were arrested after getting captured on surveillance footage near the site of the alleged assault. Police said in February they had confessed to their role in Smollett’s plot and were released without charges. One of them had worked with Smollett on “Empire,” Fox’s hip-hop TV drama, according to police.

Prosecutors on Tuesday dropped all charges accusing “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett of staging a phony hate crime, a move that drew the fury of the city’s police superintendent and mayor. A judge also granted a motion to seal the case.



The State’s Attorney’s office issued their reasoning for making the decision to drop the charges.

All charges against Jussie Smollett have been dropped and "his record has been wiped clean" 1

“After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case including Mr. Smollet’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 & appropriate resolution…” Cook County SAO.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel lambasted the surprise reversal by Cook County prosecutors, emphasizing that a grand jury concluded the attack was a hoax and hammering Smollett as indecent for claiming to be a victim.

The city’s police superintendent and mayor, called the decision a “a whitewash of justice,” Emanuel told a news conference. “From top to bottom, this is not on the level.”

Smollett spoke briefly to reporters Tuesday following an “emergency court appearance” in Chicago.

“I’ve been truthful and consistent on every single level since day one,” Smollett told reporters earlier on Tuesday outside a Chicago courthouse, where he posed for photos with supporters. Smollett spoke briefly to reporters Tuesday following an “emergency court appearance” in Chicago.



He thanked his family and friends and “the incredible people of Chicago and all over the country and the world who have prayed for me, who have supported me, who have shown me so much love.”

I don’t know what to think. What the heck just happened???

Basically, he’s just good ole guy and he’s letting Chicago keep the bond money, so hey everything is cool. No it’s totally bizarre and unreal.

So after everything he allegedly did creating a racial hoax hate crime accusing Trump supporters, having the Chicago Police department spend who knows how much, devoted all their investigative powers, this is what the State’s Attorney is saying?

He gets to walk away scot-free with nothing on his record. 

h/t Reuters