Image credit: Screengrab from CNN Youtube page
It’s a new story with as many twists and turns as an episode of Empire, and now the Jussie Smollett case has yet another new development: the FBI is getting involved.
According to Page Six, the FBI launched a probe to look into the reasons why the Cook County State Attorney’s offie did not proceed with the indictment against the Empire star.
As previously reported on this blog, the State Attorney’s office had said that Smollett’s forfeiture of his bond and his volunteer service was “a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case.”
Smollett has said that he has been “truthful and consistent” since the beginning.
Smollett’s lawyers, on the other hand, released a statement to The Hollywood Reporter that said “there should never be an attempt to prove a case in the court of public opinion.”
Both Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel and police superintendent Eddie Johnson protested the decision, with Emanuel calling what happened a “whitewash of justice” and Johnson maintaining that the city is “still owed an apology.”
This reported involvement of the FBI is another turn in what has already been a rollercoaster of a story. What began as Smollett claiming he had been the victim of a suspected hate crime, involving the use of hate speech such as f** and n***** as well as the mention of “MAGA country,” turned into Smollett being charged with felony disorderly conduct for allegedly filing a false report and 16 felony counts for allegedly staging a fake racist and homophobic hate crime attack on himself.
How do you guys feel about the involvement of the FBI in this case? Do you think that this case is going to drag on even further or do you think the charges being dropped ends the discussion? Tell us what you think in the comments section below, but please keep the conversation as civil as possible
The case like any other should have proceeded, but Jussie is connected, so now they need to go after Foxx and make an example of her poor judgment and over reach of the law
I am hoping the FBI looks into it deep. Something is very wrong here. With the Obama’s and Jessie Jackson involved the prosecutor being of color. Sixteen felonies just go away? Really. Would a poor white man get away with it?
Agree. This is a textbook example of #BlackPrivilege. The city can sue civilly. Raum Emmanuel is beyond scorched on this one.
What is #Blackprivilege? Privilege is accorded by society. So how does a racist society accord privilege to a black person? There’s a logic error there somewhere. So you don’t think Jussie’s wealth and fame had anything to do with it? I welcome the FBI’s investigation, and I’m hoping it will show that Jussie used his wealth and fame to make himself look like a victim of racism and right-wing hate, which demeans all those people of lesser means who actually are. The sooner we all realize that racism is a tool being used to reinforce privilege that is wielded to… Read more »
Yes, privelage and black privelage is afforded by society. Black privelage happens when an organization drops accusations against a black person for fear of being labelled “racist” by proceeding with the accusations, appropriate or not. It’s the same as the forced inclusion of non-white people in societal organizations in the 70’s, such as enrollment of non-white students in colleges to meet societally dictated quotas.
I agree too. why didn’t the Obama’s keep the mayor in the loop, I thought they were friends? I hope the fbi turns things around and bring jussie to justice. he should be ashamed of himself. I think he lying too. to the obamas, jacksons, and smolletts, I hate classism.
Under US law, the moment a questionnable package went through the US Postal Service, Federal Authorities (the FBI) became involved. Now questions have been raised about the dismissal of charges related to the alleged attack, even in internal emails by the Prosecutor’s office which is a State agency. The FBI is responsible to ensure the dismissal, which has been deemed questionable by many, was appropriate. The dismissal by the State of the charges surrounding the alleged attack does not dismiss any possible charges that could come related to the mailing. Jussie is still, then, not off the off the hook… Read more »
Guilty as charged! Shame on him! He got off with a hand slap! Jessie has shown no signs of remorse and offered no apology for the damage he has done to actual victims of racist and homophobic hate crimes. He wasted limited law enforcement resources and should be responsible for all the costs incurred in investigating his bogus story. Make things right, Jessie! Do the right thing!
There might have been a payoff…of some kind? A deal was worked out between Smollett and The State Attorney’s Office , but someone or someones found out and is/are outraged. The FBI involvement is valid if there was an “Obstruction Of Justice” by The State Attorney’s Office and that is a Federal Crime; hence, the FBI involvement. However, the FBI may or may not find such an “Obstruction” as it has to be” premeditated with the consent and intent to obstruct justice.” The “Hate Crime” may very well have in executed for publicity or such a variance and it may… Read more »
Payoff? Did Obama hump Jussie? just wondering…..
Of course this is going to drag on. GayGate 2020
Focus on my why 45 is not getting charged for numerous chargers.
Focus on the khunt Clinton and why that bitch isn’t being prosecuted.
Clinton hasn’t destroyed our civil rights as Trump has. I don’t like her but she never got a chance to prove how bad a president she could have been. Trump has gotten that chance and exceeded anyone’s expectation.
You’re silly and your mother dresses you funny….
They do keep charging him for all different things but just cause people don’t like him will not make him guilty. To be guilty you have to do something like Smollet. There seems to be two sets of laws now not fair like it used to be. I did not like Trump at first either but i can’t argue with a bigger pay check, less taxes he seems to be pro gay, and no terror attacks since he’s taken office. I have to rethink my Trump derangement syndrome. lol
“SEEMS TO BE PROGAY” ?!?!? ARE YOU F’ING KIDDING ME ????? No bigger paycheck hitting my bank account due to lower taxes. You’re apparently one of the wealthy ‘mo’s with lots of disposable income based on the ability to hide your high income.
Anyone who watches “law and order” knows the “people” have 2 groups of government officials on their side- the police detectives and the District Attorney. The police worked their asses off, Chicago is a very dangerous city and they really went all-out to find the people who hurt a rich, gay, rich, famous, rich, connected guy like Smollett. They found out a lot, and it looked very suspicious. The DA, on the other hand, sort-of recused herself, but took it back later. She did everything in her power to protect her friend, the rich, gay, rich, friend of Obama, rich,… Read more »
What’s with the Obama bashing here? If Smollett hired those two Nigerians to stage a phony racial “hate crime” then he should be called to justice for it. More than likely it was the Fox Network pulling strings if there was something fishy about it…but just how is the question. Hollywood has always gone to bat for stars in trouble… he is a f*cking idiot if he did stage this thing and it has probably ruined his career… poor men, black or white don’t have a Billion dollar network going to bat for them…
“guilty as charge” is the same for the white convicts who bombed the historic Baptist Church in Alabama…but they went free for over 40 yrs til they were mostly dead and gone. I say LIVE ON JUSSiE…at least for 40 more yrs. So this is nothing new in our so called justice system..just of a different color….and no one was bombed or killed either. so whats the fuss about…move on people…just move on….justice is blind …until its of the wrong color.
This is the same mentality of gang-bangers in our Black communities and why they continue killing one another ad infinitum.
FBI drop it. it is over , move on, examine yours reason ( internally) for pursuing this.
God sees even the man made legal-illegal biased laws and he is totally in charge.
Even above the
FBI he promotes and also demotes.
A gay man relying on gay-hating Christianity for authority is a sad spectacle of self-loathing.
He’s delusional and they are corrupt.
Exactly Tom – I couldn’t agree more…
Absolutely !!!
Why would they disappear? Money. There. Simple. There is just a different justice system for the rich apparently.
I am sorry, but it’s bad enough when something like what he claimed happened, ACTUALLY happens. But to make it up? No, Sorry “Mary,” you’re out. I will not be watching Empire, or anything else with him in it. All because he wasn’t feeling important enough- by way of his salary. What a Narcissistic PIG. It makes us all look bad. We have struggled with this sort of poor public image forever, and just when it seems to have improved, this ***** pulls this bonehead move. This isn’t a case where the State drops charges when they are picked up… Read more »
The man is the most delusional narcissist imaginable. The world revolves around Jussie, and all others are mere pawns to him. Those 60 nurses and hospital workers that are without careers or unemployment because of his ‘star’ power are testament to his toxicity. Sure they feel great watching the Gay Tupac frolicking in Hawaii while the sign up for food stamps. The fact he just doubles down on his bull stuff and throws it in the face of all those schmucks that got him out of that ridiculous jam shows what a POS he truly is. Anyone that tosses their… Read more »
Glad to hear the FBI has stepped in. All that matters is did he lie and set up a fake assault? If so, then he needs the book thrown at him and I’d like to know why charges were dropped initially. There are legitimate hate crimes out there and anyone who fakes one is a piece of sh!t.
If it wasn’t bad enough that Jussie got off the hook cheap, now his lawyers and fellow actors are celebrating, making statements about his innocence and justice being served, even demanding that Jussie gets written back on the show after being dropped amid the controversy. They act as if he was found not guilty, with little mention of his no contest plea which means guilty, but spared from saying it. And now him and his lawyers are claiming innocent, even after being sentenced for committing a crime. When the 17 felony count case was dismissed and the records ordered sealed… Read more »