Free Republic

Kim Foxx, the Cook County prosecutor who nearly let disgraced actor Jussie Smollett walk scot-free, now says his criminal conviction and subsequent sentencing was an example of “mob justice.” In early 2019, the Empire actor claimed he fell victim to a hate crime on a cold winter’s night in Chicago at the hands of two men who derided him with homophobic slurs while yelling “this is MAGA country” as they tied a noose around his neck. Many in the media took Smollett’s story at face value until evidence revealed that he had hired two brothers from Nigeria to stage the...

The 92-year-old grandmother of Jussie Smollett took the witness stand on his behalf at his sentencing on Thursday, blasting into "the media" and telling the judge that if he goes to jail, she wants to go with him. "I ask you, judge, not to send him to prison," the petite woman said from the witness stand. Then she wagged a finger at him. "And if you do, send me along with him."

Jussie Smollett has been hit with an additional 15 counts of filing a false police report by a grand jury and is now facing up to 48 years behind bars. The Empire actor was initially charged with one Class 4 Felony charge of disorderly conduct last month but a grand jury has applied that charge 15 times over in an 36-page indictment that was returned on Thursday. Now, he is facing a maximum sentence of 48 years behind bars and fines of up to $400,000. He is expected to cut a plea deal with authorities, according to experts cited by...

Chicago (CNN) Two law enforcement sources with knowledge of the investigation tell CNN that Chicago Police believe actor Jussie Smollet paid two men to orchestrate an assault on him that he reported late last month. The men, who are brothers, were arrested Wednesday but released without charges Friday after Chicago police cited the discovery of "new evidence." The sources told CNN the two men are now cooperating fully with law enforcement.