Posted on 02/21/2019 6:27:48 AM PST by Red Badger
CHICAGO -- "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett surrendered to authorities Thursday morning after he was charged with one count of felony disorderly conduct for filing a false police report.
Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said that Smollett is in custody after surrendering to authorities after 5 a.m. Police said they would conduct a news conference at 9 a.m. Smollett is expected to appear in bond court at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
Police said a female attorney was present with Smollett when he turned himself in and his lawyers Todd Pugh and Victor Henderson were not present at the time.
The TV actor claimed he was the victim of a vicious hate crime in the Streeterville neighborhood last month, but the investigation turned on Smollet and he's now accused of allegedly orchestrating the attack with two brothers, one an extra on "Empire" and the other Smollett's personal trainer. A police spokesperson said this case is about accountability.
Meanwhile, the attorney representing the brothers, Gloria Schmidt, said they testified in front of a grand jury for hours Thursday and said Smollet needs to come clean about what really happened.
"I think that Jussie's conscience is probably not letting him sleep right now, so I think he should unload that conscience and just come out and tell the American people what actually happened," Schmidt.
RELATED: Smollett charged with disorderly conduct for filing false police report, prosecutors say
WATCH: Smollett could face prison time if convicted of disorderly conduct
Smollett's lawyers fired back, releasing a statement saying: "Like any other citizen, Mr. Smollett enjoys the presumption of innocence, particularly when there has been an investigation like this one where information, both true and false, has been repeatedly leaked. Given these circumstances, we intend to conduct a thorough investigation and to mount an aggressive defense."
Twentieth Century Fox Television and Fox Entertainment said they have no comment at this time.
RELATED: Timeline of key moments in alleged attack on 'Empire' actor
In court Thursday, the judge is expected to formally read the charge against Smollett, set his bond and then he will be released. Smollett will return to court at a later date to enter his plea.
If Smollett is eventually convicted of the charge, he could face up to three years in prison. He could also face substantial fines.
RELATED: Brothers tell police that Jussie Smollett paid them to stage attack, sources say
As for the two brothers who allegedly helped Smollett stage the attack, because they cooperated with authorities and testified before a grand jury, they are not expected to face any charges.
Smollett reported on Jan. 29 that he was attacked by two masked men who hurled racist and homophobic slurs at him, beat him, threw some type of chemical liquid on him, and looped a rope around his neck in Chicago's Streeterville neighborhood.
Two days after the alleged attack, Chicago police released surveillance images of two people they said they considered persons of interest in the attack. The pair were later identified as brothers and brought in for questioning.
A law enforcement source said the brothers allege Smollett paid them to orchestrate and stage the attack. The brothers said Smollett was upset that the threatening letter sent to Empire's Chicago studios didn't get enough attention.
WATCH: Jussie Smollett interview with "Good Morning America": 'I am not weak'
Detectives are actively investigating the allegation, but have not confirmed it to be true, the official said.
The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating the letter, which was sent to the Chicago studio for "Empire" on Jan. 22, and whether Smollett played a role in sending the letter, two federal officials confirmed to ABC News. The letter is currently in the FBI crime lab for analysis, according to one of those sources.
Wednesday evening ABC7 Eyewitness News obtained surveillance video of the Osundairo brothers linked to the reported attack from a beauty supply shop. The video shows the brothers purchasing items possibly used in the case.
WATCH: Surveillance video shows brothers purchasing ski masks EMBED More News Videos
Surveillance video shows two brothers who are central to the Jussie Smollett investigaton buying ski masks at an Uptown beauty shop.
Employees at Beauty House in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood said the brothers came to the business the day before the alleged attack. The store is a little more than a mile from their apartment, and a security guard said he remembers the siblings because they purchased ski masks.
Chicago police confirmed the authenticity of the surveillance video, which shows the brothers purchasing numerous items, including a red ball cap, gloves, and ski masks.
Security guard Montago Silas said he was asked by the siblings if the store sold ski masks, but the business did not have the traditional balaclava-type mask; they only carried the kind with separate eyeholes. He thought it strange that they purchased them.
"It was bizarre because it was unusual for people to purchase these type of masks, not since the 70s, but I thought it was a little strange," Montago said.
The surveillance video also shows them leaving the store. They get into a silver-colored two-door coupe before driving away. Hours later, Smollett reported the alleged attack.
Montago said he's been keeping up with the Smollett story, but never thought he'd become a part of it.
The video does not show the siblings buying the rope that Smollett says was placed around his neck. That item, according to sources, came from a hardware store.
RELATED: Cook County State's Attorney recuses herself from Smollett case EMBED More News Videos
Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx has recused herself from the investigation surrounding the alleged attack on "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett, her office told ABC News.
Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx recused herself from the investigation surrounding the alleged attack on Smollett, her office told ABC News on Tuesday.
"Out of an abundance of caution, the decision to recuse herself was made to address potential questions of impartiality based upon familiarity with potential witnesses in the case," a spokeswoman told ABC News via email.
Foxx clarified her reasons Wednesday. The Cook County State's Attorney's Office released a statement that explained: "Shortly after the incident occurred in late January, State's Attorney Foxx had conversations with a family member of Jussie Smollett about the incident and their concerns, and facilitated a connection to the Chicago Police Department who were investigating the incident. Based on those prior conversations and out of an abundance of caution, last week State's Attorney Foxx decided to remove herself from the decision making in this matter and delegated it to her First Assistant Joseph Magats, a 28-year veteran prosecutor." Paperwork from the Illinois Board of Elections shows Vic Henderson, one of the attorneys representing Smollett, gave $250 to Foxx's campaign in 2016, but it was not related to the recusal.
If convicted of filing a false police report, which is a felony in Illinois, Smollett could face up to three years in prison.
That’s a tough one...........................
America. . . . . . Where people have it so bad they have to pay Nigerians to oppress them.
The smug, self-promoting Smollett and his suck-ups—— so stupid they make an ignoramus like Adam Schiff look good -—
promoted a bigoted lie, an evil story to demean Americans and vilify Pres Trump, taking liberal tripe to new depths of incivility.
In the lying, grinning fool, Smollett, “expert” liberals saw a “warm, caring man” subjected to conservative racism,
and “divisive, hateful rhetoric” that put the no-talent dork “at risk.”
Yet, in the cool, serene Nick Sandmann, politely listening to a drunken drummer, these same “experts” saw a
screeching bigoted lunatic and a “climate of hate” being played out.
There must be more to this story. It was the coldest period in history in Chicago. Guys wanting cold weather gear that is more than people would normally wear (and which you sell!) doesnt seem like it would register as oddball unless there's more to it. I feel like I'd just say "yeah, it really is cold isn't it?"
Actually, simplest explanation: maybe he assumed they were criminals, but he can't say that because .... something.
Brett Kavanaugh and Nick Sandmann could not be reached for comment...
Not to mention that a storekeeper finds it bizarre that merchandise he has out in the store for sale would actually be purchased.
No mug shot?
I wonder if he really surrendered or is that just another story by Fake News.
So hard to choose! They are all #1!
It was orchestrated...........................
It was in fact....a hate crime of the highest order.
“the cool, serene Nick Sandmann, politely listening to a drunken drummer, these same “experts” saw a
screeching bigoted lunatic and a “climate of hate” being played out.”
I’m still trying to figure out how just standing stll makes you agressive.
Note:
The Nigerians aren’t in jail.
............................
I hope Nick’s lawyer win’s every damn one of those libel suits..........................Most will be settled out of court, but the payoffs will be hugh and series......................................
“I wonder if he really surrendered”
And cnn wasn’t there to film the whole thing ala Roger Stone....what a shame.
The no-talent dork Smollett is not exactly the great prognosticator.
Here's what Smollet told the unblinking Robin Roberts on ABC's GMA.
Smollett reinvented himself as an especially fierce kind of victim...a cool hero. “I fought the f**k back,” he told ABC’s Robin Roberts.
The self-important Smollett is somewhat of a wannabe preacher----his Tweets counsel about matters of spirit, skepticism, and persistence.
His mother---(Maxine Waters says is her friend)---associated with the Black Panthers and activist Angela Davis.
A born self-promoter, Smollett has identified proudly with the radical black activist tradition.
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