'This is a whitewash of justice'

[Poohlove]

The dismissal of charges has undermined so much and so many in one fell swoop. It really is a disgrace.

 

[ronandannette]

I read that the judge agreed to drop the charges because the sentence for a guilty plea would be community service and apparently he’s already done an amount equal to that. I’m not saying it’s right or wrong, just reporting what I read.

Then the prosecution should have proceeded and if/when found guilty, the judge could have given him a deferred sentence, or better yet, he should have plead guilty, with the same outcome. Dropping the charges is absurd given the strength of the case. Just another small piece of evidence that the whole world's gone mad...

 

[kimblebee]

Then the prosecution should have proceeded and if/when found guilty, the judge could have given him a deferred sentence, or better yet, he should have plead guilty, with the same outcome. Dropping the charges is absurd given the strength of the case. Just another small piece of evidence that the whole world's gone mad...

I don’t disagree with you. I don’t make the news, I just report it

 

[Starwarsfan2]

I think there may still be federal charges related to the alleged letter that was mailed to him with powder in it

 

[Sandeep1]

Black privilege

 

[nd5056]

The dismissal of charges has undermined so much and so many in one fell swoop. It really is a disgrace.

It's exactly what our Mayor Emanuel siad:

Emanuel pointed out that enormous police resources were used for the investigation.

On top of the financial cost, he noted that false allegations also make the next victim less likely to be believed.

He said the cost "comes to all the individuals, gay men and women who will come forward and say they were the victim of a hate crime and having them doubt it, people of faith who are a victim of a hate crime, people of all walks of life and background, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, now this casts a shadow over whether they're telling the truth."

He added that Chicago's reputation has been "dragged through the mud."

Emanuel compared the situation to the recent college admissions scandal in which wealthy parents paid to get their children into elite colleges.

"Now you have a person, because of their position and background who is getting treated in a way that nobody else would ever ... get close to this type of treatment," Emanuel said.

 

[nd5056]

I think there may still be federal charges related to the alleged letter that was mailed to him with powder in it

Yes, this investigation involving Federal Agents & Post Office is still on going.

On top of this, the Chicago Police Union is calling for Federal investigation on why all the charges were dropped.

I wonder how much influence the Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx had in this case.

She recused herself from the probe after it surfaced that she had been in touch with Smollett's family.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

The man committed a hate crime.

Ehhhhhhhhhhhh...

No.

 

[Sandeep1]

Ehhhhhhhhhhhh...

No.

He attempted to incite race wars. That's not a "hate crime" but it's in the ballpark.

 

[TeresaBelle]

He wants to get back to work and move on with his life. I hope he never gets another acting job again!



CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel called the dropping of charges against "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett "a whitewash of justice."

His comments came hours after Smollett appeared in a Cook County court for an "emergency hearing" where prosecutors dropped charges accusing him of lying to police about a racist and homophobic attack in the Streeterville neighborhood. He was charged with 16 counts of disorderly conduct.

Emanuel and Chicago police Supt. Eddie Johnson were blindsided by the news, finding out about the dropped charges with the public.

The two men, visibly angry and frustrated, held a press conference following a police graduation at Navy Pier.

"This is a whitewash of justice. A grand jury could not have been clearer," Emanuel said.

Superintendent Eddie Johnson said he believes Smollett still owes Chicago an apology.

Emanuel compared the situation to the recent college admissions scandal in which wealthy parents paid to get their children into elite colleges.

"Now you have a person, because of their position and background who is getting treated in a way that nobody else would ever ... that would ever get close to this type of treatment," Emanuel said.

Prosecutors said charges were dropped after reviewing the circumstances of the case as well as Smollett's community service and the forfeiture of his bond.

Smollett appeared in court Tuesday and thanked all of his supporters.

"Not for a moment was it in vain," Smollett said. "I have been truthful and consistent on every single level since day one. I would not be my mother's son if I was capable of one drop of what I was accused of."

Smollett was accused of paying two brothers to stage an attack on him. Tuesday, he said he wants to get back to work and move on with his life.

"But make no mistakes, I will always continue to fight for the justice, equality and betterment of marginalized people everywhere," Smollett said.

Smollett agreed to donate his $10,000 bond to the city of Chicago.

https://abc7chicago.com/mayor-emanuel-on-jussie-smollett-charges-being-dropped-this-is-a-whitewash-of-justice/5218433/https://abc7chicago.com/mayor-emanuel-on-jussie-smollett-charges-being-dropped-this-is-a-whitewash-of-justice/5218433/

 

[iivye]

Then the prosecution should have proceeded and if/when found guilty, the judge could have given him a deferred sentence, or better yet, he should have plead guilty, with the same outcome. Dropping the charges is absurd given the strength of the case. Just another small piece of evidence that the whole world's gone mad...

I agree with this. I would have been fine with a plea deal with the same outcome, it's that he can still go around claiming he's innocent instead of admitting that it was a hoax that angers me.

 

[nd5056]

I agree with this. I would have been fine with a plea deal with the same outcome, it's that he can still go around claiming he's innocent instead of admitting that it was a hoax that angers me.

If he pleaded guilty he'd have 16 felonies on his record. Now it's sparkly clean.

But what angers me is why they sealed the records from this case.

 

[iivye]

If he pleaded guilty he'd have 16 felonies on his record. Now it's sparkly clean.

But what angers me is why they scaled the records from this case.

I assumed it would get plead down to a misdemeanor for filing a fraudulent police report. I never thought he would actually end up 16 felonies, but going straight to dropping all charges is crazy. I'm with you about the sealing of the records too.

 

[mom2rtk]

The brothers have clammed up. I wonder what would cause that to happen.......

 

[Scifidiner]

Crook county.

 

[Micca]

Just saw the video of the Chicago mayor and Police Chief addressing the media. They do NOT look happy. I'm not sure this is all over with, it's getting hard to tell anymore.

 

[nd5056]

He's innocent, just ask him...

I'm sure he never told a lie in his life too...

...
"He has now been further victimized by claims attributed to these alleged perpetrators that Jussie played a role in his own attack," the statement continued. "Nothing is further from the truth and anyone claiming otherwise is lying."

Separately, court documents recently obtained by Fox News reveal that Smollett was convicted for DUI and providing a police officer with false information. It was not immediately clear what information he lied to police about, but it's related to a vehicular charge. Smollett's legal team did not deny the arrest.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.fo...recuses-herself-from-jussie-smollett-case.amp

 

[nd5056]

It's nor over, this is just the beginning. And I have a feeling there'll be some kind of movie worth drama that will involve him and the Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx.


FOP renews calls for investigation into Foxx ‘interference’ in Smollett case

 

[Micca]

I just listened to a podcast with a member of Smollett's legal team. He was not at liberty to discuss specifics but my interpretation was that there may have been blunders made by law enforcement that would be bad optics for Chicago PD if the case were to have gone to court. That's my opinion on what little the attorney was saying, I may have it all wrong, and he may not have been truthful. Now seeing what nd5056 posted above I think this is a beast with many heads.

 

[Suger Mag]

I just listened to a podcast with a member of Smollett's legal team. He was not at liberty to discuss specifics but my interpretation was that there may have been blunders made by law enforcement that would be bad optics for Chicago PD if the case were to have gone to court. That's my opinion on what little the attorney was saying, I may have it all wrong, and he may not have been truthful. Now seeing what nd5056 posted above I think this is a beast with many heads.

I also kinda got the feeling that the prosecution's office saw a case that they could not win, perhaps from a combination of not good enough evidence and also investigative blunders .... and rather than risk a expensive trial that would end with Smolliett getting off and potentially bad exposure to the PD, they decided to take the easier solution and drop the case.

I find it hard to believe that Foxx... who wanted to turn the case over to the FBI from the get go.... is in on some bribe/payoff to let a rich actor go free. Seems that the FOP had a problem with her before Smolliett case even was on the radar according the the above posted article,