https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/celebri...ury/ar-BBUy4fN
A Chicago grand jury on Friday indicted
Empire actor Jussie Smollett on 16 felony counts for allegedly lying to police about a supposed hate crime attack, according to multiple reports.
Smollett was charged last month with felony disorderly conduct and released on $100,000 bail.
The actor reported in late January he had been viciously attacked by two men who yelled pro-Donald Trump remarks mixed with racist and homophobic language.
Chicago detectives later determined that the
Empire actor allegedly set up the highly publicized attack to further his career.
Smollett was subsequently arrested and charged with a felony in the case.
.Smollett and his attorneys deny the actor has anything to do with the assault other than being the victim of a hate crime.
According to police, two brothers helped Smollett orchestrate the faux assault and are now working with detectives to build the department's case against the actor.
Smollett did one interview with
Good Morning America's Robin Roberts after the assault report but has since gone off the radar, only speaking through his attorneys.
The actor is due back in court from the disorderly conduct charge on March 14.
In another aspect of the case, Chicago police have opened an
internal investigation to determine who leaked information about the Jussie Smollett case, the department confirmed to
The Hollywood Reporter on Friday.
"I would like to point out that a lot of the information out there was inaccurate and there were numerous agencies involved in this investigation," Sgt. Rocco Alioto said in a statement to THR. "As a standard procedure when there are allegations of information being leaked, an internal investigation has been opened and we are also looking at our vulnerabilities."
The Legal process is running its' course.
Jussie has a right to presumption of innocence despite all the Press Hoopla, unless convicted in a Court of Law.
If convicted - it is a very sad statement that anyone would feel motivated to invent a "Hate Crime".
I well can predict the response from The Left . Predictable, infantile, non-cogent and unconstructive name-calling.
Again, very Sad.
Jussie Smollett Indicted on 16 Felony Counts by Chicago Grand Jury
