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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 12 February 2020

Actor Jussie Smollett faces 6 new charges in Chicago

By DON BABWIN and and made it clear that
HERB McCANN those prosecutors had not
Associated Press adequately explained to
CHICAGO (AP) — Actor special prosecutors why
Jussie Smollett was indicted they did so. But Webb
Tuesday for a second time stressed that he had
on charges of lying to po- reached no conclusions
lice about a racist and an- about whether anyone in-
ti-gay attack he allegedly volved in the case had en-
staged on himself in down- gaged in any wrongdoing.
town Chicago, renewing a Smollett, who is black and
divisive criminal case that gay, was originally charged
drew worldwide attention with disorderly conduct last
last year. February for allegedly stag-
The indictment came ing the attack and lying
from a special prosecutor about it to investigators. The
who was appointed after allegations were dropped
Cook County prosecutors the following month with
dropped the same charges little explanation, angering
last March. police officials and then-
The new charges were sure Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
to reignite many of the ten- Smollett told police he was
sions that surrounded Smol- walking home early on Jan.
lett a year ago. When his 29, 2019, when two masked In this March 14, 2019, file photo, Empire actor Jussie Smollett arrives at the Leighton Criminal Court
claims first emerged, he men approached him, Building for his hearing in Chicago. Associated Press
drew a groundswell of sup- made racist and homopho-
port from fans and celebri- bic insults, beat him and er phone calls that Cook against Smollett was re- said the city should not be
ties and gave an emotional looped a noose around County State's Attorney turned, Webb wrote, the allowed to recover costs
television interview about his neck before fleeing. He Kim Foxx had with a Smol- state's attorney's office from Smollett because it
the attack. said his assailants, at least lett relative and a former had concluded that the accepted $10,000 from
The case came to reflect one of whom he described aide of former first lady Mi- evidence in the case was the actor "as payment in
the polarized state of po- as white, told him he was in chelle Obama unduly influ- "strong." But the office failed full in connection with the
litical discourse in America. "MAGA country" — a refer- enced the decision to drop to offer any new evidence dismissal of the charges
Many Democrats initially ence to President Donald charges. Foxx recused her- to explain why authorities against him."
called it a shocking in- Trump's campaign slogan, self from the case but con- dropped the charges just a It was not immediately clear
stance of Trump-era racism "Make America Great tinued to weigh in. few weeks later. what sentence Smollett
and hate, while Republi- Again." At the time, Judge Michael Further, Webb took issue faces if convicted. When
cans depicted it as yet an- Several weeks later, author- Toomin, who assigned the with an assertion in a news he was originally charged
other example of liberals ities alleged that Smollett case to Webb, raised the release issued when the with disorderly conduct, it
rushing to judgment and had paid two black friends possibility that Smollett charges were dropped was reported that he could
disparaging the president's $3,500 to help him stage could be charged again. that Smollett had not re- be placed on probation
supporters as bigots. the attack because he was According to the judge ceived special treatment or sent to prison for one to
Special prosecutor Dan unhappy with his salary as and attorneys at the time, and that the case was re- three years per count.
Webb said in a statement an actor on "Empire," a Fox double jeopardy does not solved "under the same Smollett's case has be-
that Smollett faces six felo- series about that follows a apply because Smollett criteria that would be avail- come an issue in Foxx's bid
ny counts of disorderly con- black family as they navi- was never prosecuted. able for any defendant for a second term. Those
duct, charges that stem gate the ups and downs In his news release, Webb with similar circumstances." looking to unseat the first
from four separate false of the recording industry. said he concluded that Webb asked for but never black woman to hold the
reports that he gave to po- Smollett was accused of us- prosecuting Smollett was "in received any examples of county's highest law en-
lice in which he contended ing the scheme to drum up the interest of justice" for a other such cases, he wrote. forcement position, have
he was a victim of a hate publicity for his career. number of reasons, includ- The city has sued Smollett, blasted her handling of the
crime "knowing that he was A judge in August ap- ing the extensive details of seeking reimbursement matter as haphazard and
not the victim of a crime." pointed Webb, a former Smollett's false account as of more than $130,000 for indecisive. They say it in-
The statement immediate- U.S. attorney, to look into well as the resources that overtime paid to officers dicates she has bad judg-
ly raised questions about why the original charges the police department who were involved in inves- ment and favors the rich
county prosecutors' deci- were dropped. Webb also threw at the investigation. tigating Smollett's report. and powerful in deciding
sion to drop the charges was investigating wheth- When the first indictment Smollett's attorneys have who will be prosecuted.q