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() Jussie Smollett is still rejecting claims by Chicago police officials that his alleged hate crime was a “hoax.”
The Netflix documentary “The Truth About Jussie Smollett?” features the “Empire” star discussing the legal proceedings surrounding an incident he was accused of orchestrating, as reported by NBC News.
examines Smollett case
learned never-before-heard details of how the investigation turned from looking at Smollett as a victim to looking at him as a suspect.
In 2019, Smollett asserted he was the victim of a purportedly racist and homophobic attack near his apartment in Chicago. As the investigation unfolded, authorities transitioned Smollett’s status from victim to primary suspect in the case.
Smollett alleged that two individuals attacked him, placed a noose around his neck, and poured bleach on him. The Chicago Police Department initially considered it a potential hate crime, assigning a significant number of detectives to investigate.
Ben Bradley, an investigative reporter with affiliate WGN, remarked during a “Jussie Smollett Scandal” segment in July, “If you’re two guys planning to assault a Black man with a noose, it’s unlikely you’d choose downtown Chicago, just steps from Michigan Avenue, as your location.”
Police eventually said Smollett hired brothers Ola and Abimbola Osundairo to help him stage the attack.
Jussie Smollett maintains innocence
In the documentary, Smollett defends himself and reiterates his innocence, according to NBC News.
In the documentary, Smollett stated, “Ultimately, it doesn’t matter if someone likes me or not. The truth is: I didn’t do that. That’s what’s important.”
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FILE – Actor Jussie Smollett, center, leaves the Leighton Criminal Courthouse with unidentified siblings, Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021, in Chicago, following a verdict in his trial. Smollett, who was found guilty last month of lying to police about a hate crime that authorities said he staged, will return to court for sentencing on March 10, a judge announced on Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022 (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File) -
Jussie Smollett’s lead defense attorney Nenye Uche speaks to reporters during a news conference Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, In Chicago, after the Illinois Supreme Court overturned Smollett’s conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019 and lying to Chicago police. (Ashlee Rezin/Chicago Sun-Times via AP) -
CHICAGO, IL – JUNE 15: Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson attends a police academy graduation and promotion ceremony in the Grand Ballroom at Navy Pier on June 15, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. Several civil rights organizations have filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Chicago seeking federal oversight of changes in the Chicago Police Department following repeated accusations of civil rights violations by officers in the department. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
In 2022, Smollett was found guilty of five felony counts of disorderly conduct. He was sentenced to 150 days in jail and ordered to pay $120,000 to the city of Chicago.
In 2024, the Illinois Supreme Court overturned the conviction, finding that the agreement Smollett reached with then-Cook County State Attorney Kim Foxx’s office should have prevented a special prosecutor from reopening the case.
The “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test” star settled with the city of Chicago in May.
