18 Aug 2020: Daily Mail: Outfoxing justice: Top Chicago prosecutor Kim Foxx WON’T face charges for continuing to text Jussie Smollett’s sister for five days AFTER he shifted from victim to suspect
•Special prosecutor Dan Webb said Monday that Foxx’s office abused their discretion in the case against actor Jussie Smollett but did nothing criminal
•In March last year, Foxx´s office surprised many by dropping charges that accused the actor of staging a racist, homophobic attack against himself
•Webb’s findings announced Monday came after charges were restored against Smollett by the same special prosecutor in February
•Webb said then that dropping the charges against Smollett were unjustified
•One of the focuses of Webb’s inquiry was about whether Foxx acted improperly by speaking to a Smollett relative and a onetime aide of Michelle Obama
•But Monday’s release does not show or attempt to explain how prosecutors came to to reach the deal to drop the actor’s first case in the first place
•Smollett is still adamant that the attack was real and wasn’t a publicity hoax
By Lauren Fruen
One of the focuses of Webb´s inquiry was about whether Foxx acted improperly by speaking to a Smollett relative and Tina Tchen, a onetime aide of former first lady Michelle Obama before the charges were dropped, or by weighing in on the case after recusing herself.
The release Monday found no evidence to support the suggestion Smollett was offered a sweetheart deal following pressure from influential people...
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8636075/Review-Prosecutor-office-abused-discretion-Smollett-case.html
1 Sept: Chicago Tribune editorial: Editorial: More secrecy in the Jussie Smollett case. Who is protecting whom now?
For 18 long months, ever since Cook County prosecutors got involved in the case of actor Jussie Smollett, public officials who work for taxpayers have been keeping secrets from them...
The latest declaration that we citizens aren’t entitled to know comes from Judge Michael Toomin. We were pleased when, last August, the judge appointed former U.S. Attorney Dan Webb as a special prosecutor to examine how State’s Attorney Kim Foxx and her staff handled the Smollett case. The whole point was transparency.
But now Toomin says he won’t release the full Webb report, which runs 59 pages, because it includes sensitive grand jury testimony. Webb pressed Toomin on Tuesday to reconsider his decision. Toomin should...
http://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-jussie-smollett-kim-foxx-report-20200901-vul7h6upuvfr5iskdulojvmrwe-story.html