CHICAGO — Jussie Smollett goes to trial Monday on prices that he lied to Chicago police when the previous “Empire” actor and R&B singer reported being the sufferer of a racist and homophobic assault practically three years in the past. Some key moments within the story:
— Smollett receives a racist and homophobic threatening letter on the studio in Chicago the place “Empire” is filmed. Police later say they consider Smollett despatched the letter himself.
On this March 26, 2019 file picture, actor Jussie Smollett gestures as he leaves Cook dinner County Courtroom after his prices had been dropped in Chicago. Smollett faces new prices for reporting an assault that Chicago authorities contend was staged to garner publicity, in accordance with media reviews Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020. The costs embrace disorderly conduct counts, in accordance with the reviews that cite unidentified sources.
— Jussie Smollett tells police he was attacked by two males in downtown Chicago at 2 a.m. The actor says the lads used racist and homophobic slurs, wrapped a rope round his neck and poured an “unknown substance” on him. Police say Smollett, who’s Black and homosexual, informed detectives the attackers additionally yelled he was in “MAGA nation,” an obvious reference to President Donald Trump’s “Make America Nice Once more” marketing campaign slogan that some Trump critics name racist and discriminatory.
— Chicago police say they’ve reviewed a whole lot of hours of surveillance digicam footage, together with of Smollett strolling downtown, however none exhibits the assault. Police get hold of and launch photos of two folks they need to query, calling them “individuals of curiosity.”
— Stories of an assault on Smollett draw outrage and help for him on social media from some politicians and celebrities.
— Smollett’s household points an announcement calling the assault a hate crime and disputing claims that he modified his story.
— Smollett points an announcement saying he is OK, that he is working with authorities and has been “one hundred pc factual and constant on each degree.”
— Smollett opens a live performance in West Hollywood, California, with an emotional speech, saying he needed to play the present as a result of he could not let his attackers win.
— Chicago police choose up two Nigerian brothers at Chicago’s O’Hare Worldwide Airport after police study a minimum of one labored on “Empire.” Police query them and search their residence.
— Chicago police launch the brothers with out prices after arresting them on suspicion of assault and holding them for practically 48 hours. A police spokesman says they’re not suspects.
— Police say the investigation has “shifted” after detectives questioned the brothers, and request a follow-up interview with Smollett. His legal professionals say he feels “victimized” by reviews that he performed a job within the assault.
— Chicago police attain out to Smollett’s lawyer saying they nonetheless need to interview him once more as a result of new info has “shifted” their investigation.
— Chicago’s prime prosecutor, Cook dinner County State’s Legal professional Kim Foxx, recuses herself from the investigation. Her workplace says the choice was made “out of an abundance of warning … to handle potential questions of impartiality based mostly upon familiarity with potential witnesses within the case.”
— Prosecutors cost Smollett with disorderly conduct for submitting a false police report in regards to the alleged assault.
— Chicago police say Smollett surrenders to face a felony cost of disorderly conduct, punishable by as much as three years in jail.
— Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson says Smollett staged the assault as a result of he was sad together with his wage and needed publicity. Investigators say they’ve a $3,500 verify that Smollett used to pay the 2 brothers to assist him.
— “Empire” producers say Smollett’s character to be faraway from the ultimate two episodes of the season.
— A Cook dinner County grand jury returns a 16-count indictment charging Smollett with falsely reporting an offense.
— Smollett’s attorneys say prices alleging he lied to police have been dropped.
Jussie Smollett’s prison case will proceed to trial, regardless of his makes an attempt to have it dismissed.
— A metropolis official says Chicago is in search of $130,000 from Smollett to cowl the price of the investigation into his reported beating, which police say was staged.
— Town of Chicago information a lawsuit in search of to recoup the investigation prices.
— The Cook dinner County State’s Legal professional’s Workplace releases hundreds of paperwork within the Smollett case in response to open information requests, together with a textual content from Foxx calling Smollett a “washed up celeb” who was overcharged.
— The brothers who stated they helped Smollett stage the assault file a defamation lawsuit towards the actor’s attorneys.
— Choose names former U.S. Legal professional Dan Webb as particular prosecutor to research why prices towards Smollett had been dropped.
— Webb says grand jury returns six-count indictment towards Smollett, accusing him of mendacity to police.
— Smollett pleads not responsible to restored prices.
— Choose James Linn denies a last-ditch effort to dismiss the prison case towards Smollett and units his trial for Nov. 29.
Gallery: “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett
73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards – Viewers
Jussie Smollett attends the 73rd annual Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016, on the Beverly Hilton Lodge in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photograph by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
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AP names Nicky Jam and J Balvin’s ‘X’ its prime track of 2018
FILE – On this March 6, 2018 file picture, actor-singer Jussie Smollett, from the Fox collection, “Empire,” poses for a portrait in New York. Smollett’s “Ha Ha (I Love You)” was named as one of many prime songs of the 12 months by Related Press Music Editor Mesfin Fekadu.(Photograph by Victoria Will/Invision/AP, File)
Empire Forged Member-Assault
FILE – On this Could 14, 2018 file picture, Jussie Smollett, a solid member within the TV collection “Empire,” attends the Fox Networks Group 2018 programming presentation afterparty in New York. Chicago police have opened a hate crime investigation after a person the division recognized as a 36-year-old solid member of the tv present “Empire” alleged he was bodily attacked by males who shouted racial and homophobic slurs. Police wouldn’t launch the actor’s title, however an announcement from the Fox studio and community on which “Empire” airs recognized him Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019, as Jussie Smollett.(Photograph by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
Jussie Smollett-Profile
On this Could 20, 2016, file picture, actor and singer Jussie Smollett attends the “Empire” FYC Occasion in Los Angeles.
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Empire Forged Member Assault
This Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019 picture exhibits an residence that was searched by police in reference to an investigation of an assault on actor Jussie Smollett in Chicago. Two males characterised by police as “individuals of curiosity” within the assault towards Smollett are actually thought of suspects and have been arrested on “possible trigger that they might have dedicated a criminal offense,” a Chicago police spokesman stated Friday, Feb. 15, 2019. Spokesman Anthony Guglielmi confirmed {that a} search warrant was executed on the Chicago residence the place the lads lived however didn’t have any details about what precisely what police discovered. (Nader Issa/Chicago Solar-Instances by way of AP)
APTOPIX Empire Forged Member Assault
“Empire” actor Jussie Smollett leaves Cook dinner County jail following his launch, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019, in Chicago. Smollett was charged with disorderly conduct and filling a false police report when he stated he was attacked in downtown Chicago by two males who hurled racist and anti-gay slurs and looped a rope round his neck, a police stated. (AP Photograph/Kamil Krzaczynski)
Empire Forged Member Assault
This Feb. 21, 2019 picture launched by the Chicago Police Division exhibits Jussie Smollett. Police say the “Empire” actor turned himself in early Thursday to face a cost of constructing a false police report when he stated he was attacked in downtown Chicago by two males who hurled racist and anti-gay slurs and looped a rope round his neck. (Chicago Police Division by way of AP)
