New documents on the Jussie Smollett case show that prosecutors told Chicago police detectives a possible deal with the Empire actor was in the works a month before charges against him were dropped.
The approximately 460 pages released Thursday reveal that Cook County prosecutors told the detectives investigating Smollett's case that a deal with the actor could include a $10,000 fine and community service.
Chicago police spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said the detectives did not pass the information to superiors "because they didn't know it [the case] was going to be handled the way it was."
Smollett was charged with 16 counts alleging he lied to police when he reported he had been the victim of a racist, anti-gay attack in January. Police contend the black and openly gay actor staged the attack because he was unhappy with his salary and wanted publicity.
Then, in a surprise move, prosecutors dropped the charges against Smollett on March 26, without explanation and without the actor admitting guilt — a decision that outraged Chicago's mayor and police superintendent.
Decision to close case
In the newly-released documents, detectives say the Cook County state's attorney's office informed the Chicago Police Department on Feb. 28 that they could no longer investigate the crime. Smollett was indicted on March 7.
The lead investigators in the case met with assistant state's attorney Risa Lanier, who informed detectives "that she felt the case would be settled with Smollett paying the city of Chicago $10,000 in restitution and doing community service."
The detectives closed the case at that point because an arrest was made and the alleged offender was being prosecuted, according to Guglielmi.
Telephone calls to the Cook County state's attorney's office were not immediately returned on Thursday.
'Affront' to hate crime victims
Attorneys for Smollett were the ones who announced that charges against the actor had been dropped. At the time, Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson said he learned about the deal when lawyers announced it, adding he didn't think justice was being served. However, he didn't directly criticize prosecutors.
"My job as a police officer is to investigate an incident, gather evidence, gather the facts and present them to the state's attorney," Johnson said. "That's what we did. I stand behind the detectives' investigation."
The Illinois Prosecutors Bar Association said the dismissal of the charges was "an affront to prosecutors across the state" as well as police, victims of hate crimes and the county as a whole.
The City of Chicago is seeking $130,000 US from Smollett to cover the costs of investigating his false report to police. The city claims about two dozen detectives and officers investigated the entertainer's report that he was attacked, resulting in a "substantial number of overtime hours."
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May 31, 2019 at 08:53AM
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