Jussie Smollet is a gay, black man who stars on the show Empire. On Jan. 29, Jussie Smollet was attacked in the streets of Chicago. Two men beat the Empire star while calling out homophobic and racial slurs, even referring to Donald Trump’s slogan, “Make America Great Again.” The two men threw bleach on the actor and left a noose tied around Smollet’s neck.
The two suspects, brothers Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo, were found in Nigeria. Police met them at customs when they arrived back in the United States. They immediately requested the presence of an attorney. The attorney right away noted to the authorities that “something smelled fishy” in the Smollet case. The police department held the two brothers for 47 hours out of the allotted 48 hours that police could legally detain them. It was during the 47th hour that led to a twist in the case.
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According to the brothers, Smollet was trying to gain attention. Smollet’s first attempt at gaining attention came before the attack. The police superintendent said that Smollet “attempted to gain attention by sending a false letter that relied on racial, homophobic and political language.” The letter was sent seven days before the alleged attack and was sent to the Chicago set of Empire. Police said the letter was a drawing of a “stick figure hanging from a tree” (CNN) and contained white powder. After testing the white powder was identified as crushed aspirin. Ambimbola told police that Smollet was disappointed with the reaction that the Empire team had to the letter.
The police superintendent revealed that when the letter didn’t work, Smollett paid $3,500 to stage this attack (CNN). There is speculation that the attack was in part staged because Smollet was dissatisfied with his Empire salary. Prosecutors allege that Smollet gave the brothers cash to purchase everything needed for the attack. A local surveillance camera caught the brothers purchasing masks and ropes used in the assault. The assault was intended to take place on Jan. 28 at 10 p.m. They rehearsed the attacked and Smollet even pointed out the street cameras that were intended to film the whole ordeal. The attack was then pushed back to 2 a.m. on Jan. 29 after Smollet’s flight was delayed.
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Smollet has been arrested on charges of filing a false police report. He was released on bail and ordered to surrender his passport. Smollet is due back in court on Mar. 14, 2019. In Illinois, these charges could send Smollet to prison for one to three years. Smollet has not accepted a plea deal according to his lawyer, Gloria Schmidt. A statement released said, “Mr. Smollett is a young man of impeccable character and integrity who fiercely and solemnly maintains his innocence and feels betrayed by a system that apparently wants to skip due process and proceed directly to sentencing” (CNN).
The brothers are no longer suspects in the case and have been released.