Couldn't agree more. Judging by the Superintendent and Judge's comments it seems they'll be seeking the maximum penalty.
No proof of this but I do suspect one thing and it's sad. There's likely more backroom talks about the potential impact of this case, than the actual preparation for prosecution. They know the world is watching and understand both the cultural and political fallout from whatever verdict is reached. I hope that doesn't temper and affect the sentencing in any way.
RBP (02-22-2019)
There are some conflicting statements out there. In one Smollett says he'll fight the charges and in the other he admits it was done to increase his wage.
He's trying to get as much jail time as possible so he can fully enjoy the repeated prison rapes he's going to be experiencing.
Warning: The posts of this forum member may contain trigger language which may be considered offensive to some.
Music was better when ugly people were allowed to make it.
I watch the news while I eat dinner and sometimes catch a bit of the next program after. It's an Entertainment Tonight type show. Fascinating to watch the progression of this case on those tabloid shows because they often support left-leaning celebs without outright mentioning politics. Right up to three days ago they were still showing sound bites of Smollett as a victim. Then they said the 'narrative may be changing'. Most recent report was brief - 'He's being written out of the show.'
Hollywood is strange. A person claims an actor participated in something sexual with them 30 years ago and instantly the actor is blacklisted and all current projects shelved or reshot. Without a trial or any physical proof. The claim = career homicide.
Smollett makes a serious claim of physical abuse and this time we see the world supporting him at the outset as usual, then once real evidence is established the world becomes quiet.
There's a disconnect between the two types of events that I'm not articulating well here...I do know it's interesting for some reason
lost in melb. (02-25-2019), Teh One Who Knocks (02-25-2019)
Terence Howard, Jussie's costar on Empire has released Twitter comments and a statement:
"The Jussie I know could never even conceive of something so unconscious and ugly. His innocence or judgment is not for any of us to decide. Stay in your lane and my lane is empathy and love and compassion for someone I've called my son for five years. It's God's job to judge and it's ours to love and hope, especially for those that we claim to have loved."
Actually Terence...it's the job of the judge in court to judge after a crime is committed.
You could never conceive of something so unconscious? Do you mean unconscionable? Sorry, I was judging
DemonGeminiX (02-24-2019), RBP (02-24-2019), Teh One Who Knocks (02-25-2019)
No wonder why they didn't want him in the Marvel movies after Iron Man. #DonCheadleIsRhodey
Warning: The posts of this forum member may contain trigger language which may be considered offensive to some.
Music was better when ugly people were allowed to make it.
Here's "my lane". When some jackass pulls some shit like this that results in squandering police resources paid for by taxpayer dollars, in addition to a fine and, if appropriate, a period of incarceration, I want restitution made for the resources wasted. If necessary, everything Mr. Smollet owns should be sold to accomplish this.
Hal-9000 (02-25-2019), KevinD (02-25-2019), Teh One Who Knocks (02-25-2019)
full disclosure I love this song
Teh One Who Knocks (02-26-2019)
Couldn't agree more. And I feel there should be some additional weight added to the ignorance of his act in light of the current political climate. I realize it's a nebulous idea and there are no 'good' times to attempt this sort of crap, but the US is almost at a tinderbox moment in time politically and he tried to take advantage of that for personal gain without realizing the other possible heinous effects of his lie.
By Jessica Sager | Fox News
Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson claimed that there is a slew of evidence that "Empire" star Jussie Smollett staged his own hate crime.
"Let me just put this out there first and foremost right now that he still has the presumption of innocence until he has his day in court," Johnson told host Robin Roberts on "Good Morning America" Monday.
Johnson reiterated that Smollett, 36, described the Jan. 29 incident as a hate crime and that the Chicago police treated it as such. Johnson noted that even though the actor said his two alleged attackers were masked, Smollett "was able to say he'd seen around their eyes that at least one was white-skinned."
"The entire time we investigated the incident he was treated like a victim," Johnson added.
Smollett was charged Wednesday with felony disorderly conduct amid allegations of filing a false police report. He turned himself in at central booking early Thursday. If convicted, he is facing up to three years in prison. A judge set Smollett's bond for $100,000 on Thursday.
Smollett told police he was attacked by two masked men as he was walking home from a Subway sandwich shop at around 2 a.m on Jan. 29. The actor, who is black and openly gay, said the masked men beat him, made derogatory comments and yelled "This is MAGA country" — an apparent reference to President Donald Trump's campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again" — before fleeing.
It was after the police spoke with brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo that they pivoted their investigation away from a hate crime and to an allegedly false police report.
Johnson said that the Chicago police apprehended the brothers for 48 hours and that they became "cooperating witnesses" in the 47th hour, noting that authorities "gathered up a lot of evidence and facts before then."
"We worked very closely with their lawyer," Johnson told Roberts, explaining that the Osundairos' attorney likely advised them on how to proceed with the police.
He maintained that the Chicago police were not out to get Smollett and sympathized with his plight at first, despite his story allegedly having holes.
"There were some questions [about the alleged hate crime Smollett initially reported], but there's always questions when people are describing incidents to us," Johnson said, adding, "We didn't have the facts to support him being involved in it until that 47th hour."
He said, "It's not the Chicago police saying [the attack was staged], it's the evidence, the facts and the witnesses that are saying it."
The smoking gun, Johnson claims, was the Osundairo brothers presenting police with a check from Smollett.
"They said that he paid them $3,500 with a check ... to carry out this incident," he said.
Smollett's legal team has maintained that the check was for personal training and nutrition services.
"The Chicago Police Department has its issues with racism and excessive force and I'm acutely aware of that," Johnson admitted. "But we didn't earn this particular incident and I refuse to let us take that shot if we have evidence of the contrary ... [Filing a false report] is a dangerous thing to do to a city and to a police department. Something like this can be really damaging. We made a lot of progress in the last three years in terms of race relations ... I just hope people dont judge other people that are victims of these types of crimes."
He added, "There are real victims of hate crimes and I just hope that people don't treat them with skepticism."
Johnson said that the investigation is ongoing.
"[Smollett] still has a presumption of innocence and he still has his opportunity in court if he chooses to go that route," Johnson said. "There's a lot more evidence that hasn't been presented yet that doesn't support the version that he gave us. There's still a lot of video evidence, physical evidence and testimony that doesn't support what he said happened."
Chicago police also accused Smollett of sending himself hate mail to the "Empire" set. The FBI is investigating the letter, which was reportedly laced with an innocuous white powder and "MAGA" messages. If convicted of mail fraud, Smollett could face up to 10 years behind bars.
Last week, Johnson slammed Smollett in a press conference.
"I'm left hanging my head and asking why," an emotional Johnson said. "Why would anyone, especially an African-American man, use the symbolism of a noose to make false accusations? How could someone look at the hatred and suffering associated with that symbol...how can an individual who has been embraced by the city of Chicago turn around and slap everyone in this city by making this false claim?" He added, "Bogus police reports cause real harm."
Smollett's attorneys previously told Fox News they've "witnessed an organized law enforcement spectacle that has no place in the American legal system. The presumption of innocence, a bedrock in the search for justice, was trampled upon at the expense of Mr. Smollett and notably, on the eve of a Mayoral election. Mr. Smollett is a young man of impeccable character and integrity who fiercely and solemnly maintains his innocence betrayed by a system that apparently wants to skip due process and proceed directly to sentencing.”
Hal-9000 (02-26-2019)