Posted on 02/17/2019 2:14:58 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Are we finally coming to the end of the Jussie Smollett “hate crime” story? I’ve mostly steered clear of this confusing tale except for some of the usual banter on Twitter, but the most recent developments seem to be sending the actor toward a very dark place. To be clear, we’re not at the point where anything is 100% confirmed, and if Smollett actually was attacked I want his assailants found and prosecuted. But according to the Chicago police, the investigation into his alleged assault has “shifted.” They’re still not being terribly specific, but there are plenty of hints to be found as to what they’re talking about. (Associated Press)
Chicago police said Saturday the investigation into the attack reported by Jussie Smollett has “shifted” due to information received from two brothers arrested in the case then released, and police want to interview the “Empire” actor again.
Chicago police had released the two Nigerian brothers without charges late Friday and said they were no longer suspects in the reported attack.
“We can confirm that the information received from the individuals questioned by police earlier in the Empire case has in fact shifted the trajectory of the investigation,” Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in an emailed statement Saturday. “We’ve reached out to the Empire cast member’s attorney to request a follow-up interview.”
The cops sounded pretty confident that they had identified the two men seen in various bits of video footage from the time of the supposed assault. The two Nigerians were later identified as being associates of Smollett, with one of them being a personal trainer he’d previously hired to help get him in shape for an acting role. They also don’t seem to fit the profile one might expect of typical “rednecks” in MAGA hats, to put it mildly.
For his part, the actor is still saying there’s “no truth” to the idea he might have played role in the attack, and he finds the suggestion offensive. And of course, he’s blaming Trump, as Karen pointed out yesterday. But details are leaking out and it’s now being alleged that not only did he put his buddies up to participating in a hoax hate crime, but he paid them thousands of dollars to do it. (NY Post)
Chicago police now believe “Empire” TV actor Jussie Smollett paid two pals to fake the attack that he has insisted was carried out by a pair of homophobic and racist strangers, according to a stunning new report.
The buddies — body-builder brothers from Nigeria — told cops they purchased the rope for the noose recovered from Smollett’s neck after the attack, Fox’s Chicago affiliate reported Saturday night, citing multiple Chicago law-enforcement sources. The two are cooperating with the probe, and have turned over to cops the Ace Hardware receipt for their purchase of the rope, Fox 32 reported.
Coming up with a receipt for the rope used to make the noose sounds like a pretty specific piece of information. Unless some new, startling evidence to the contrary turns up, it’s really looking as if Smollett faked the attack for reasons we don’t yet know.
So let’s say that’s what actually happened. If so, what becomes of this entire debacle? Smollett’s supporters in both Hollywood and the political circus should walk back all the accusations they hurled and their indignant statements of support for him, though most will likely go into radio silence mode on the subject.
But there’s more damage to clean up than the usual Twitter wars. The police invested resources into a lengthy investigation. And the actor has cast a shadow over not only his own career but the future success of the show he’s on. Who pays for all of that? Under Illinois law, filing a false police report in this fashion is just a Class A misdemeanor under the state’s disorderly conduct statutes. For a first offense, it brings a maximum fine of $10,000 and some community service, but jail time is unusual. Does that seem like sufficient justice for setting off a national media firestorm in this fashion?
I’m seeing some people suggest that the supposed death threat letter he received could be treated as a federal crime with more serious penalties. Sending death threats through the U.S. mail system is definitely a crime, but if he either sent it himself or had his friends do it, and all parties knew that it was a hoax, was there really a death threat sent? Seems to me that a competent attorney could get that charged kicked fairly easily.
He didn’t really defame anyone if the two alleged participants not only went along with it but were paid for their services. Making a generic accusation against “Trump-supporting rednecks” may be proven to be a total fabrication, but no specific person would be able to show damages. So is that it? He writes a check to the courts, maybe spends a couple of weekends picking up trash in a public park and everyone just gets on with their lives? That’s what it looks like to me, but it certainly doesn’t feel like a satisfying conclusion.
Possible, but he could do the usual “disappear into celebutard rehab” for a while.
oh really? well that would change everything, of course.... but they are really terrible criminals if they kept that kind of evidence on hand rather than disposing of it quickly in some random trash receptacle.....
I don’t think we can trust too much rumor about what evidence the cops do or don’t have at this point. The brothers seem clearly to be involved in a hoax attack/beatdown, but I would still be surprised if they were involved with the letter (why would Jussie need to involve any other party in sending such a letter? it seems to be a solo kind of activity).
Liberals (i.e. Leftists) are a criminal class and use race and sex as weaponized victimhood to gain power, wealth and standing.
They are evil and we must continue to fight back by punching twice as hard.
JoMa
Jussie has the I'm a friend of the DNC get out of jail card. It is the real pass from justice.
And yes, I can see some celebrity "rehab" in his future too.
I read the same.
There have been recent convictions under the law.
He's a sh!tty actor who hardly anyone ever heard of before this all happened.
He may not do any jail time, but I'd say his acting career is over.
LOL. Good point.
They’re afraid of riots, so no charges will be filed.
Probably not even an SNL skit!
interesting....It hinges on the phone records.
manager said he heard ‘MAGA Country’ on Phone.
If the call was never made, both are toast.
good point.... Chicago PD has every reason to review the real (unedited) phone records closely.... timing and length of calls between Jussie and various people could be revealing.
Certainly it must be documented whether or not Jussie and his manager were on the phone to each other at the time of the hoax attack, 2 am?? I’m never on the phone to anyone at such an hour, but then I am not living the gay nightlife in Chicago.
Why did Jussie pick the date that he did? Was it coordinated with Senator Harris and Senator Booker’s anti lynching bill?
16 Feb: Washington Examiner: Embarrassment for 2020 Democrats after Jussie Smollett attack story unravels
by Dominick Mastrangelo
Tweet: Kamala Harris 30 Jan 2019:
.@JussieSmollett is one of the kindest, most gentle human beings I know. I’m praying for his quick recovery.
This was an attempted modern day lynching. No one should have to fear for their life because of their sexuality or color of their skin. We must confront this hate...
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/embarrassment-for-2020-democrats-after-jussie-smollett-attack-story-unravels
16 Feb: Breitbart: FLASHBACK: Democrats Called Jussie Smollett Attack ‘Lynching’; NAACP Blamed Trump
by Joel B. Pollak
Kamala Harris “modern day lynching” tweet dated 7:30 AM - Jan 30, 2019
Cory Booker “modern-day lynching” tweet dated 6:09 AM - Jan 30, 2019
https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2019/02/16/flashback-democrats-called-jussie-smollett-attack-lynching-naacp-blamed-trump/
don’t let this pass.
Better end with jail.
Probably not even an SNL skit!
Who is Jussie Smollett anyway? And who cares? REALLY!!!!
17 Feb: FederalistPapers: AOC & Kamala’s Connection to Smollett’s Disastrous Case Is Totally Damning
By Carmine Sabia
https://thefederalistpapers.org/opinion/ocasio-cortez-kamala-harris-knee-deep-jussie-smollett
Maybe the manager did hear the slurs and “MAGA Country”, spoken by the Nigerians. But you’d think he would have picked up on the accent.
Silly question. Nothing at all will happen to him. After all, he is the approved of skin pigment and sexual orientation. We all know how it works at this point.
how about it.
I’m still amazed he managed to hang on to his phone during this brutal attack.
Smollett’s only out is to blame the nigerians for attacking him.
The nigerians have the magazines where the letters supposedly came from being used in the threatening letter.
The nigerians paid for the rope.
The nigerians paid for the bleach.
The nigerians had red hats.
...’cept they aint white...
Course, his attorneys will resign as they wont suborn perjury.
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