Fox NewsIn a shocking announcement Tuesday morning, the Cook County States Attorneys office said it will not be prosecuting Jussie Smollett, who was previously accused of faking an anti-black, anti-gay hate crime in Chicago in order to drum up publicity for his role on the TV drama Empire.
Fox News has learned the judge granted a nolle pros, which essentially means that the case has been dropped and that he will no longer be prosecuted for the alleged crime.
Its unclear at this time why the court decided not to proceed with prosecution, but the former Empire star is expected to give a statement after he leaves the courthouse later today.
Smollett previously pled not guilty to 16 counts of disorderly conduct stemming from the alleged incident in which he claimed two men beat him, poured bleach on him and placed a rope around his neck before yelling, This is MAGA country. His lawyer, Tina Glandian, entered the plea on Smolletts behalf just hours after Judge Steven Watkins was assigned the case. The next court date was scheduled for April 17.
However, Smollett was brought in for an emergency court session in which the judge ruled the case against him would be dropped.
Doubt was cast on the open-and-shut nature of the case when Fraternal Order of Police President Kevin Graham wrote the Justice Department following reports that Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx asked Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson to let the FBI investigate Smolletts allegations that he was attacked by two masked men after the former chief of staff to former first lady Michelle Obama allegedly informed Foxx that Smolletts family had concerns about the probe.
According to local reports, Johnson was blindsided by Tuesdays events and is expected to address the situation later in the day.
Smollett attorneys Tina Glandian and Patricia Brown Holmes said in a statement that Smolletts record has been wiped clean.
Anne Kavanaugh, the crisis manager the actor hired, said Smollet is a victim who was vilified and made to appear as a perpetrator as a result of false and inappropriate remarks made to the public causing an inappropriate rush to judgement.
A rep for Fox, which produces and airs Empire, said the studio and network had no immediate comment.
A spokeswoman for Cook County prosecutors didnt immediately respond to messages requesting comment.
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Poster Comment:
True Pundit reports: From Jussie Smolletts sisters Instagram page, she admits herself and another of Jussies sisters worked long hours for Barack Obama during his presidential bid. Smolletts sisters, who are actresses and activists, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, and Jazz Smollett-Warwell, worked as leading campaign surrogates for former President Barack Obama. Smollett-Bell posted about her support for Obama on Instagram on President Donald Trumps Inauguration Day:
Well would you look at that the Chicago hate hoaxer Jussie Smollett just happens to be connected to Obama, as Jussie Smollett sisters just happened to work for Obama's Presidential campaign. It's not even a shocker that Jussie Smollett has a family connection to Barack Obama, so I guess you can say the Jussie Smollett hate hoax now makes sense now.
George Soros Spent $408k on Kim Foxx, Prosecutor in Jussie Smollett Case