Posted on 02/01/2019 9:22:33 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Two days after the incident, the ongoing investigation into the alleged hate crime targeting "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett has raised more questions than it has answered. Pictures of two shadowy figures released last night — Chicago Police are calling them "persons of interest" — will only add to the controversy.
As I reported here at PJ Media yesterday, Smollett claims he was physically assaulted by two individuals wearing ski masks and gloves at 2 a.m. Tuesday in downtown Chicago. They allegedly shouted, "This is MAGA country," along with other racist and anti-gay slurs. Smollett, who had just visited a Subway sandwich shop, is black and gay and had been a harsh critic of Donald Trump for years prior to his presidential campaign.
But shifting versions of the story told by Smollett have raised questions about what exactly happened.
For instance, Smollett initially was reluctant to make any kind of statement, but in his initial interview with police 45 minutes after the alleged attack, he made no mention of the MAGA claims.
When that element was reported by TMZ and other media outlets, Chicago Police denied the claim. But after contacting him a second time, Smollett expanded his version of the story to include the MAGA element.
The Associated Press reported yesterday that police have reviewed hundreds of hours of surveillance video from the heavily monitored area, but found no images of the attack. The city of Chicago operates an advanced linked network of 30,000 closed-circuit cameras around the city, the New York Times reported last May.
Last night, Chicago Police announced they had two possible persons of interest and released shadowy photos of the pair.
They said:
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Photos of people of interest who were in area of the alleged assault & battery of Empire cast member. While video does not capture an encounter, detectives are taking this development seriously & wish to question individuals as more cameras are being reviewed pic.twitter.com/xJDDygtocr
— Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) January 31, 2019
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There is no video, however, of the two individuals and Smollett ever being together. The time of the videos is between 1:30 and 1:45 a.m., at least 15 to 30 minutes before the time of the alleged attack, according to local media.
The local ABC affiliate reported:
Police said they have tracked Smollett's movements that night. They confirmed video shows Smollett walking across the street from the two possible persons of interest. Police said in the video he walks out of frame for about a minute and reappears on another camera "wearing a rope like a neck tie." Police said there is no video of an assault. Investigators said he walked into an apartment building, passing security and boarding an elevator. He would then enter an apartment and that's where police were eventually called.
Reporter Rob Elgas, who has seen the video recording, gave details about what the video shows:
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Police say both Smollett and the "persons of interest" walk out of frame (on different cameras). Smollett would reappear on a different camera about a minute later. So basically for about 60 seconds Smollett is not on surveillance camera.
— Rob Elgas (@RobElgasABC7) January 31, 2019
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The next time Smollett is seen on surveillance camera, he is entering a condo building. Police say he now has a rope around his neck and is "wearing it like a neck tie". About a minute (maybe less) has passed since he was seen on video.
— Rob Elgas (@RobElgasABC7) January 31, 2019
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On Tuesday, Elgas reported another odd element to the story: that Smollett was still wearing the rope around his neck when they arrived to interview him — nearly 45 minutes after the incident.
As noted, there is no video of the alleged attack, nor is there any video of the two persons of interest together with Smollett.
Unfortunately, some media outlets got ahead of the facts yesterday, falsely claiming that video of the incident had emerged and that the photos that were to be released were of "suspects." This included the New York Daily News, whose tweet below got more than 1200 retweets before it was deleted.
Another new angle developed yesterday when Variety reported that Smollett's music manager, Brandon Z. Moore, claimed he was on the phone with his client at the time of the attack and heard the "MAGA country" comment and the racial slurs.
But oddly, Smollett has refused to let Chicago Police inspect his phone to confirm that the call had in fact occurred.
Concurrent to the Chicago Police Department's investigation into Tuesday morning's alleged incident, the FBI is investigating letters sent to Smollett earlier this month at the Fox offices in Chicago, according to the Chicago Tribune:
"Chicago police confirmed that a letter containing an anti-gay epithet and white powder were mailed to the Douglas Park neighborhood Cinespace Chicago Film Studios, where “Empire” is filmed, on Jan. 22. The letter, addressed to one of the show’s actors, triggered a hazardous materials call for fire officials, who determined the powder wasn't dangerous. The FBI has since taken over the probe into the letter — as it was sent through the U.S. mail service — while Chicago police continue to look into the attack, authorities said."
The letter arrived on January 22, and was first reported by ThatGrapeJuice.net, who provided an image of what had been sent (via TMZ.com).
TMZ also reported that Smollett refused 24/7 security at the time the letter was received, claiming that it would be intrusive.
Fox had offered additional security to everyone on set, but Smollett said that the security would interrupt his way of life. He will now have 24/7 armed security after Tuesday's incident, they added.
With the widespread coverage this story is getting, one might hope that more conclusive details will be forthcoming shortly, given the accusations and attempts of cultural and political point-scoring that have emerged from some corners following this incident.
It didn’t happen. It is a manufactured event to paint the picture of Racist and/or Anti Gay Conservatives.
I don’t believe it for one second that this happened.
It’s so hard to believe, that these guys were out on a bitter cold night, with rope and bleach, on the off-chance they would encounter an actor they hate, so they could attack him.
So when’s Swishy gonna be charged with a hate crime for fraud?
They won’t find any video because this was done by secret, MAGA, Ninjas, who spend years perfecting their skills in a monastery in Nepal.
Smollett, who had just visited a Subway sandwich shop
Subways are open at 2AM. in Chicago?
Sounds like the fix is in.
My understanding is that the “rope” was more like a cord or clothesline. Maybe he got tangled up in the blinds at Subway?
The only place this happened is in the sick and twisted mind of this blatant liar.
thanks to a fellow Freeper the 2 subways in the area were NOT open then. One closed at 11 and the other at 12.
If he was in a Subway there would be video.
If he was at the one that closed at 12 where was the guy from say 12:30 to the time of the alleged attack? Walking Around sub zero Chicago streets?
How idiotic is it to think dudes would be lurking on sub zero streets with bleach( which would have been frozen) and clothesline >
Why did he ask that the Police cams be turned off?
If he really was on the phone why refuse to let police look at the phone?
Why did his story change to include the MAGA claim
?
There is only 1 minute gap is the cameras coverage
But as has been mentioned truth will not come out, from the police in a Dem controlled city.
This guy has shot himself in the foot. His ignorance and hate has ended his career. He’s done.
If he had bleach poured on him as he said, should not his clothes or hair have white splotches in them from the bleach?
It sure can ruin a pair of jeans or a shirt real fast.
This actor should be charged with filing a false complaint.
With all of the video cameras around today the police were unable to find any evidence.
Something stinks here.
You can’t walk down the street in any major city without being observed on some video camera system.
There is only 1 minute gap is the cameras coverage
The detectives must have timed how long it would take for a person to walk from the point he went off one camera to the point he was seen on the next camera. I’d love to see the results
I looked at Google Maps and all the Subways anywhere near his hotel all closed at midnight or earlier. There is one 24 hour subway in a gas station but it is a good walking distance away and the wrong direction from his hotel relative to where the “assault” occurred.
There is a Subway .14 miles from the given address and it is open 24 hours.
“Ok, this is the first suspicious thing that happened. He’s in Chicago, no one in their right minds thinks Chicago is MAGA country... “
That’s when I called b.s. Chicago MAGA country! That was the only place Trump had to cancel his rally.
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