Actor Jussie Smollett indicted on 16 counts of lying to Chicago police

[rooster59]

Actor Jussie Smollett indicted on 16 counts of lying to Chicago police

By Suzannah Gonzales

 

FILE PHOTO: Jussie Smollett exits Cook County Department of Corrections after posting bail in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., February 21, 2019. REUTERS/Joshua Lott/File Photo

 

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Television actor Jussie Smollett, arrested last month on a single charge of perpetrating a hate-crime hoax, has been newly indicted on 16 felony counts of falsely reporting to police that he was assaulted by two strangers shouting racist and homophobic slurs.

 

The indictment, returned by a Cook County grand jury on Thursday and made public on Friday, greatly expands on the legal jeopardy faced by Smollett, whose story of being attacked in Chicago by supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump has drawn suspicion since it first surfaced in late January.

 

Smollett, 36, who is black and openly gay and plays a gay musician on the Fox network hip-hop drama "Empire," was charged last month in a single-count criminal complaint with making a false report to police, defined under Illinois law as a form of disorderly conduct.

 

The new indictment in the case contains 16 similar counts: eight related to his interview with one police officer on the day of the purported attack and eight more stemming from his interview with another officer the same day.

 

Each count carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

 

Smollett's attorney, Mark Geragos, blasted the indictment in a statement as "redundant and vindictive," adding that his client "adamantly maintains his innocence even if law enforcement has robbed him of that presumption."

 

He also said that leveling charges in an indictment spares prosecutors the need to submit evidence and witnesses to defense cross-examination in a preliminary hearing, where a judge decides if sufficient cause exists for the case to proceed to trial.

 

At the time he was initially charged two weeks ago, Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said Smollett had paid two brothers $35,000 to stage an assault on him in a hoax orchestrated to somehow further his acting career.

 

NO FURTHER ARREST

 

Smollett has remained free on $100,000 bond since his release hours after surrendering to authorities on Feb. 21. He already was scheduled to return to court on March 14. In the meantime, there is no warrant for his arrest in connection with this week's indictment "because it's the same case," Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told Reuters.

 

No mention is made in the indictment of Smollett's claim, according to police, that his attackers yelled, "This is MAGA country," referring to Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan, as they accosted him.

 

But the 16-page document includes other elements of the account that Smollett had stood by for weeks.

 

According to previous police recitations of Smollett's story, he reported that two masked men approached him on the street in the early hours of Jan. 29 shouting racial and homophobic slurs, struck him in the face, doused him with an "unknown chemical substance" and wrapped a rope around his neck before they fled.

 

News of the assault spread quickly on social media, with many expressing outrage while others wondered whether the story was fabricated even as Chicago police insisted their detectives were treating the matter seriously.

 

In an interview with ABC's "Good Morning America" days before he was charged, Smollett said he was angry that some people questioned his story, and he suggested the disbelief might come from racial bias.

 

His attorneys said after his arrest on Feb. 21 they were conducting a thorough investigation for purposes of mounting the actor's defense.

 

Smollett himself, according to reports in media citing unnamed sources, apologized last month to the cast and crew on the set of "Empire" but maintained his innocence.

 

The release of the indictment came after the Chicago Police Department said it started an internal investigation into how information about the alleged hate crime against Smollett was anonymously leaked to reporters.

 

Geragos said the indictment was designed, in part, "to distract from the internal investigation."

 

"Empire" debuted on Fox in 2015 and has earned multiple Emmy nominations. Smollett plays the character Jamal Lyon, a member of the family that is the focus of the drama. Producers said in February they were removing his character from the final two episodes of the show's current season.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-03-09

[Boon Mee]

He's well and truly screwed. 

[Baerboxer]

49 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

He's well and truly screwed. 

 

Or will be if he receives a custodial sentence.

[tlandtday]

lock em up and throw away the key for at least  a few years... and get him some counseling for psychotic behavior...

[atyclb]

Jussie Smollett - First American to scam Nigerians!

 

 

 

[Skeptic7]

What a moron. Unbelievably stupid stunt. On the show...his mom, dad and brother all did hard time. Looks like his TV family really had an influence. Idiot. 

[HLover]

Just now, Skeptic7 said:

What a moron. Unbelievably stupid stunt. On the show...his mom, dad and brother all did hard time. Looks like his TV family really had an influence. Idiot. 

At first read, I thought you used another rhyming noun that would have snuggled in nicely with your description of this creature.

[Nyezhov]

Bwhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

 

Thats all I can say. The left implodes. Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

[lust]

This is a case that I hope he gets maximum charges to discourage anyone else from trying this nonsense.

[HLover]

1 minute ago, lust said:

This is a case that I hope he gets maximum charges to discourage anyone else from trying this nonsense.

Given his background, don't bet on it.

[Skeptic7]

This will be interesting. Black guys usually get harsher sentences...even the affluent ones. Remember Wesley Snipes got 3 years for 3 misdemeanor charges, while Paul Manafort only got >4 years for 8 felony charges! Hardly seems equitable. 

 

Jussie's definitely gonna pay some fines and prob do some time. The interesting part will be how long his sentence will be. 

[Nyezhov]

8 minutes ago, Skeptic7 said:

Black guys usually get harsher sentences...even the affluent ones. Remember Wesley Snipes got 3 years for 3 misdemeanor charges, while Paul Manafort only got >4 years for 8 felony charges! Hardly seems equitable. 

That is the least convincing argument for disparity in the justice system I have seen.

[Rocking Robert]

The biggest shame is that so many people wanted this to be true 

[Skeptic7]

2 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

That is the least convincing argument for disparity in the justice system I have seen.

Makes no difference whether you're convinced. It was one example...to inspire thought and inquiry. Here's more supporting evidence...

 

A 2014 University of Michigan Law School study, for instance, found that all other factors being equal, black offenders were 75 percent more likely to face a charge carrying a mandatory minimum sentence than a white offender who committed the same crime.

 

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/black-men-sentenced-time-white-men-crime-study/story?id=51203491

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/17/opinion/sunday/unequal-sentences-for-blacks-and-whites.html

[Nyezhov]

8 minutes ago, Skeptic7 said:

Makes no difference whether you're convinced. It was one example...to inspire thought and inquiry. Here's more supporting evidence...

 

A 2014 University of Michigan Law School study, for instance, found that all other factors being equal, black offenders were 75 percent more likely to face a charge carrying a mandatory minimum sentence than a white offender who committed the same crime.

 

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/black-men-sentenced-time-white-men-crime-study/story?id=51203491

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/17/opinion/sunday/unequal-sentences-for-blacks-and-whites.html

LOL did you read the study as opposed to the agenda driven analysis? if you did, you would  not have posted it. 

 Lets make it easy though...there is no racial animus in the CJS shown in the study

 

Edited March 9, 2019 by Nyezhov

[Thainesss]

6 minutes ago, Skeptic7 said:

Makes no difference whether you're convinced. It was one example...to inspire thought and inquiry. Here's more supporting evidence...

 

A 2014 University of Michigan Law School study, for instance, found that all other factors being equal, black offenders were 75 percent more likely to face a charge carrying a mandatory minimum sentence than a white offender who committed the same crime.

 

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/black-men-sentenced-time-white-men-crime-study/story?id=51203491

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/17/opinion/sunday/unequal-sentences-for-blacks-and-whites.html

 

What on earth does this have to do with anything in the OP?

[Nyezhov]

17 minutes ago, Rocking Robert said:

The biggest shame is that so many people wanted this to be true 

Yes. Its TDS.

[Cryingdick]

Well I am going to be the better man on this and give him the presumption of innocence on all 16 counts. However his real trouble will come when the feds charge him for the letter with the magazine cut out letters and the white powder. If he did that he is in deep doo doo.You don't mess with the mail. That resembles something the Unabomber would do.  Again the man deserves a trial.

Edited March 9, 2019 by Cryingdick

[Skeptic7]

6 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

LOL did you read the study as opposed to the agenda driven analysis? if you did, you would  not have posted it. 

 Lets make it easy though...there is no racial animus in the CJS shown in the study

 

LOL. There was a lot of info provided, including more than 1 study, that you blatantly disregarded. Let's make it easy...the USSC disagrees with your unfounded opinion. 

 

From the United States Sentencing Commission, Washington DC...

 

Key Findings: Consistent with its previous reports, the Commission found that sentence length continues to be associated with some demographic factors. In particular, after controlling for a wide variety of sentencing factors, the Commission found: • Black male offenders continued to receive longer sentences than similarly situated White male offenders. Black male offenders received sentences on average 19.1 percent longer than similarly situated White male offenders during the Post-Report period (fiscal years 2012-2016), as they had for the prior four periods studied. The differences in sentence length remained relatively unchanged compared to the Post-Gall period.

 

Conclusion: In this report, the Commission has provided an update to its prior reports on demographic differences in sentencing. The Commission found that sentence length continues to be associated with some demographic factors, in particular race and gender. After controlling for a wide variety of sentencing factors, the Commission found that Black male offenders continued to receive longer sentences than similarly situated White male offenders, and that female offenders of all races received shorter sentences than White male offenders.

 

Full report: https://www.ussc.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/research-and-publications/research-publications/2017/20171114_Demographics.pdf

[Nyezhov]

9 minutes ago, Skeptic7 said:

Conclusion: In this report, the Commission has provided an update to its prior reports on demographic differences in sentencing. The Commission found that sentence length continues to be associated with some demographic factors, in particular race and gender. After controlling for a wide variety of sentencing factors, the Commission found that Black male offenders continued to receive longer sentences than similarly situated White male offenders, and that female offenders of all races received shorter sentences than White male offenders.

And that shows...what? Whats the point?

[Skeptic7]

3 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

And that shows...what? Whats the point?

   

 

go back to sleep...????

[Nyezhov]

Just now, Skeptic7 said:

   

 

go back to sleep...????

Guess you didnt read the last paragraph of the report. Owned.

 

Enjoy your brew, old Jussie will be treated the same as anyone else in a colour blind justice system ????

[Thainesss]

4 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

And that shows...what? Whats the point?

 

Hes trying to cry racism, in a thread about a black gay limosuine liberal who faked a hate crime, which makes no sense. 

 

He then posts an excerpt from a study which shows women of all races have it far easier then white men when dealing with the criminal justice system. 

 

And now I think we are going to need social justice in regards to Misandry. The study clearly shows that white men receive longer punishment than women, and that is wrong. 

[Nyezhov]

7 minutes ago, Thainesss said:

Hes trying to cry racism, in a thread about a black gay limosuine liberal who faked a hate crime, which makes no sense. 

Been a lot of that hate crime faking. 

[NorthernRyland]

1 hour ago, Skeptic7 said:

This will be interesting. Black guys usually get harsher sentences...even the affluent ones. Remember Wesley Snipes got 3 years for 3 misdemeanor charges, while Paul Manafort only got >4 years for 8 felony charges! Hardly seems equitable. 

 

That's because the average black person that finds themself in court usually already has a criminal record so that is considered in the verdict.

[NorthernRyland]

1 hour ago, Skeptic7 said:

A 2014 University of Michigan Law School study, for instance, found that all other factors being equal, black offenders were 75 percent more likely to face a charge carrying a mandatory minimum sentence than a white offender who committed the same crime.

But there's no such thing as all things being equal. Not all races commit crimes at equal rates and people KNOW this through their experiences in life. Fact of the matter is a Chinese kid with no criminal record is far less likely to commit future crimes than a Black kid with the exact same background.

 

 

[marcusarelus]

4 minutes ago, genericptr said:

But there's no such thing as all things being equal. Not all races commit crimes at equal rates and people KNOW this through their experiences in life. Fact of the matter is a Chinese kid with no criminal record is far less likely to commit future crimes than a Black kid with the exact same background.

 

 

Would that depend on the percent they are black or is it just a little brown or dark tan color is the same as a really black person.  What if the Chinese kid was part HIspanic?  Which gene would win the violence battle in his mind?  If I see a Chinese kid walking down the street with a gun drawn should I assume he is hunting rats? 

[Skeptic7]

18 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

Guess you didnt read the last paragraph of the report. Owned.

 

Enjoy your brew, old Jussie will be treated the same as anyone else in a colour blind justice system ????

Black male offenders received sentences on average 19.1 percent longer than similarly situated White male offenders during the Post-Report period (fiscal years 2012-2016), as they had for the prior four periods studied.

 

the Commission found that Black male offenders continued to receive longer sentences than similarly situated White male offenders

 

OWNED. Next...

 

14 minutes ago, Thainesss said:

 

Hes trying to cry racism, in a thread about a black gay limosuine liberal who faked a hate crime, which makes no sense. 

 

He then posts an excerpt from a study which shows women of all races have it far easier then white men when dealing with the criminal justice system. 

 

And now I think we are going to need social justice in regards to Misandry. The study clearly shows that white men receive longer punishment than women, and that is wrong. 

555..."he's" not crying anything. Just reporting the facts. While agreed it's wrong that females receive lighter sentences than males...Strawman much??? Your denial of the main point of the study (and this part of the thread) and deflection to women over white men, totally disregarding all else, is the best (and grossest) strawman ever! Congrats on that! 

 

Deny facts...deflect...deny evidence...deflect...deny truth...deflect...

 

...wash, rinse and repeat.  

 

Not my quotes, but perfect for you lot...

 

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, not their own facts.

Facts remain facts, regardless of one's opinion of them. 

[Scott]

Some off-topic posts and replies removed.   If you are quoting text, please follow Fair Use policy.   It can be found in the rules.   It hasn't been followed and the quote and replies removed.  

[Skeptic7]

OK sorry if off topic, but this is important and crucial to the extended discussion, even though it shouldn't have been necessary and was abundantly clear from the start...

 

The repeated findings in studies about this topic are consistent and conclusive.

 

Stuff like 'may consider...could affect...may have been...unknown...not readily available...cannot be measured' amount to nothing. All that just serves to prevent premature pointing of fingers at individual judges...and rightly so. The one line from the repeated (4 times) study which is the most important and conclusive...

 

"Multivariate analysis cannot explain why the observed differences in sentencing outcomes exist, but only that they do."  (emphasis added)

 

This entire discussion has been about whether it occurs...(it does)...NOT why it occurs. 

Edited March 9, 2019 by Skeptic7