Jussie Smollett staged hoax attack as ‘publicity stunt…to promote his career’: Police originally appeared on abcnews.go.com” data-reactid=”15″ type=”text”>Jussie Smollett staged hoax attack as ‘publicity stunt…to promote his career’: Police originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Jussie Smollett in an emotional press conference on Thursday in which he said that Smollett’s alleged staging of a hoax attack was a “publicity stunt…to promote his career.”” data-reactid=”16″ type=”text”>Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie T. Johnson blasted Jussie Smollett in an emotional press conference on Thursday in which he said that Smollett’s alleged staging of a hoax attack was a “publicity stunt…to promote his career.”
took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career,” Johnson said. “I am left hanging my head asking ‘why?’. Why would anyone, especially an African-American man, use the symbolism of a noose to make false accusations? … How can an individual who’s been embraced by the city of Chicago turn around and slap everyone in the city in the face with these false claims?”” data-reactid=”17″ type=”text”>”Jussie Smollett took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career,” Johnson said. “I am left hanging my head asking ‘why?’. Why would anyone, especially an African-American man, use the symbolism of a noose to make false accusations? … How can an individual who’s been embraced by the city of Chicago turn around and slap everyone in the city in the face with these false claims?”
consistently denied any role in staging the alleged attack, orchestrated it because he was “dissatisfied with his salary.”” data-reactid=”18″ type=”text”>Johnson charged that Smollett, an actor on the hit show ‘Empire’ who has consistently denied any role in staging the alleged attack, orchestrated it because he was “dissatisfied with his salary.”
In addition to staging the attack, officials said, Smollett also sent himself a hate-filled letter to the Fox studio where the hit show is filmed.
(MORE: How Jussie Smollett relentlessly defended his story against a storm of skepticism)” data-reactid=”20″ type=”text”>(MORE: How Jussie Smollett relentlessly defended his story against a storm of skepticism)
Smollett turned himself in at 5:15 a.m. local time and made a statement to police before being taken into custody. His lawyers, Todd Pugh and Victor Henderson, were not present at the time but they released a statement the night before.” data-reactid=”21″ type=”text”>Smollett turned himself in at 5:15 a.m. local time and made a statement to police before being taken into custody. His lawyers, Todd Pugh and Victor Henderson, were not present at the time but they released a statement the night before.
“Like any other citizen, Mr. Smollett enjoys the presumption of innocence, particularly when there has been an investigation like this one where information, both true and false, has been repeatedly leaked. Given these circumstances, we intend to conduct a thorough investigation and to mount an aggressive defense.”
PHOTO: Jussie Smollett attends an ‘Empire’ event in Los Angeles, May 20, 2016. (Invision/AP, FILE)
Police add that Smollett gave no statement to police after turning himself in and that his lawyers had reached out to them Wednesday night to discuss his surrender. Smollett wanted to turn himself in near midnight, but authorities suggested he come in at 5 a.m. instead, to avoid spending the night in jail. Smollett arrived early Thursday morning accompanied by a female lawyer and an entourage of five or six people.
Smollett was silent as he went through the motions of being booked and processed.
the backlash against the actor began at the top, with an angry tweet from the President of the United States.” data-reactid=”36″ type=”text”>By late morning on Thursday, the backlash against the actor began at the top, with an angry tweet from the President of the United States.
“.@JussieSmollett – what about MAGA and the tens of millions of people you insulted with your racist and dangerous comments!? #MAGA” President Donald Trump wrote in a tweet after the press conference.
PHOTO: The cast of ‘Empire,’ Terrence Howard, Jussie Smollett, Bryshere Gray, Trai Byers and Taraji P. Henson, pose in a promotional image for the program. (FOX via Getty Images)
interview with ABC News, Smollett was asked why he thought he was targeted and he replied that he is a strident critic of the Trump administration.” data-reactid=”49″ type=”text”>In an earlier interview with ABC News, Smollett was asked why he thought he was targeted and he replied that he is a strident critic of the Trump administration.
said. referring to Trump, the 45th U.S. president. “I come really really hard against his administration, and I don’t hold my tongue.”” data-reactid=”50″ type=”text”>“I come really really hard against 45,” he said. referring to Trump, the 45th U.S. president. “I come really really hard against his administration, and I don’t hold my tongue.”
During a press briefing later Thursday morning, Chicago law enforcement officials said that Chicago police detectives interviewed more than 100 people and reviewed dozens of police cameras trying to get to the bottom of Smollett’s claims.
Johnson, a well-regarded and popular big city police chief and Chicago native, appeared genuinely aggrieved as he described how, he said, Smollett took advantage of the pain of racism to advance his career.
“Why would anyone use the symbol of a noose” to further his “own public profile,” Johnson wondered aloud.
“I’m offended by what happened and I’m angry,” Johnson continued. “This publicity stunt was a scar that Chicago didn’t own and certainly didn’t deserve.”
Johnson, who oversees one of the nation’s largest police departments in one of its most violent cities, seemed disheartened by all the attention paid to the Smollett affair.
“The accusation within this phony attack received national attention for weeks,” Johnson told reporters during a press conference. “Celebrities, news commentators and even presidential candidates weighed in on something that was choreographed by an actor.”
PHOTO: Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson speaks about the Jussie Smollett case at a news conference at Chicago Police headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, Feb. 21, 2019. (Joshua Lott/Reuters)
“When you get the opportunity,” he said with a mixture of derision and frustration, “the shooting victims and their families? Give them the same amount of attention.”
Press Briefing: Jussie Smollet is under arrest and in custody of detectives. At 9am at #ChicagoPolice Headquarters, Supt Eddie Johnson, Commander of Area Central Detectives Edward Wodnicki will brief reporters on the investigation prior to the defendants appearance in court. pic.twitter.com/9PSv8Ojec2
— Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) February 21, 2019
After the press briefing, 20th Century Fox, the station that airs “Empire,” released a statement which read, “We understand the seriousness of this matter and we respect the legal process. We are evaluating the situation and we are considering our options.”
(MORE: Timeline of the alleged Jussie Smollett attack investigation)” data-reactid=”76″ type=”text”>(MORE: Timeline of the alleged Jussie Smollett attack investigation)
told police he was attacked by two masked men near his apartment in Chicago. The two men, Smollett initially said, shouted racist and homophobic slurs at him as a rope was wrapped around his neck and a chemical compound was poured on him. The alleged assailants yelled “MAGA country,” a reference to President Donald Trump’s “Make American Great Again” slogan, police were told.” data-reactid=”77″ type=”text”>Smollett told police he was attacked by two masked men near his apartment in Chicago. The two men, Smollett initially said, shouted racist and homophobic slurs at him as a rope was wrapped around his neck and a chemical compound was poured on him. The alleged assailants yelled “MAGA country,” a reference to President Donald Trump’s “Make American Great Again” slogan, police were told.
(MORE: ‘Empire’ star Jussie Smollett shares powerful message to LGBTQ community after suspected hate crime)” data-reactid=”78″ type=”text”>(MORE: ‘Empire’ star Jussie Smollett shares powerful message to LGBTQ community after suspected hate crime)
interview with “Good Morning America” anchor Robin Roberts, Smollett said he was heartbroken when he found out that people questioned his story.” data-reactid=”79″ type=”text”>In an interview with “Good Morning America” anchor Robin Roberts, Smollett said he was heartbroken when he found out that people questioned his story.
Asked why he would leave the rope draped around his neck until police arrived because he “wanted them to see.”
PHOTO: Jussie Smollett is pictured in a police mugshot after being charged with making a false police report. (Chicago Police Dept.)
“I was looking at myself, just like checking myself out,” he told Roberts. “I saw the bruise on my neck, you know, like the little — the rope burn around my neck. So when the police came I kept the clothes on, I kept the rope on me. … I mean, it wasn’t, like, wrapped around. But, yeah, it was around because I wanted them to see.”
Asked why he wait until the second interview to tell police that the assailants yelled “MAGA country” at him during the attack, Smollett seemed to take offense at the insinuation.
“For me, the main thing was the idea that I somehow switched up my story, you know? And that somehow maybe I added a little extra trinket, you know, of the MAGA thing,” Smollett said on ABC News. “I didn’t need to add anything like that. They called me a f—-, they called me a n—-. There’s no which way you cut it.”
Johnson said on Thursday that Smollett’s seeming injuries from the incident also appeared to be phony.
“The brothers had on gloves during the staged attack where they — they punched him a little bit, but as far as we can tell, the scratches and bruising that you saw on his face was most likely self-inflicted.”
(MORE: ‘Empire’ actor Jussie Smollett charged with felony disorderly conduct for filing false report after allegedly staging attack: Police)” data-reactid=”97″ type=”text”>(MORE: ‘Empire’ actor Jussie Smollett charged with felony disorderly conduct for filing false report after allegedly staging attack: Police)
identified and questioned two “persons of interest” captured on surveillance video near the scene around the time of the alleged attack. The men, who are brothers, were arrested on Feb. 13 but then released without charges, with police saying they were no longer considered suspects.” data-reactid=”98″ type=”text”>Police identified and questioned two “persons of interest” captured on surveillance video near the scene around the time of the alleged attack. The men, who are brothers, were arrested on Feb. 13 but then released without charges, with police saying they were no longer considered suspects.
the brothers claimed that Smollett paid them to help orchestrate and stage the crime after he became upset that a letter threatening him, sent Jan. 22 to the Fox studio where “Empire” is filmed, did not get enough attention, sources told ABC News.” data-reactid=”99″ type=”text”>While being questioned by investigators, the brothers claimed that Smollett paid them to help orchestrate and stage the crime after he became upset that a letter threatening him, sent Jan. 22 to the Fox studio where “Empire” is filmed, did not get enough attention, sources told ABC News.
charged with felony disorderly conduct for filing a false crime report. By that evening, police officially had classified the actor as a suspect in the ongoing investigation. Detectives subsequently presented evidence to a Cook County grand jury.” data-reactid=”100″ type=”text”>On Wednesday, Smollett was charged with felony disorderly conduct for filing a false crime report. By that evening, police officially had classified the actor as a suspect in the ongoing investigation. Detectives subsequently presented evidence to a Cook County grand jury.
“That was a pretty hateful allegation, and it really put a terrible look on Chicago,” Guglielmi told ABC Chicago station WLS in a telephone interview Thursday morning. “Chicago trusted this young man. We loved ‘Empire,’ and we took this very seriously that something this hateful could happen in our city.”
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