Jussie Smollett and his team arrive for a court hearing Courthouse in Chicago on March 12, 2019. Photo: AFP
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https://scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3005872/chicago-sues-actor-jussie-smollett-over-costs United States & Canada
Chicago sues actor Jussie Smollett over costs of investigating ‘staged’ attack
- Lawsuit was filed two weeks after prosecutors dismissed criminal charges against Smollett, despite claiming he fabricated the January attack
Actor Jussie Smollett waves to supporters before leaving Cook County Court after his charges were dropped on March 26, 2019. Photo: AP
The city of Chicago filed a lawsuit on Thursday against Jussie Smollett seeking three times the damages it said it incurred in the investigation of a hate crime authorities allege the Empire actor staged.
The lawsuit, which did not specify the amount of damages, was filed in Cook County Circuit Court over two weeks after prosecutors dismissed the criminal charges against Smollett alleging he fabricated the January 29 attack.
Chicago officials previously said they would sue Smollett after he refused a demand by the city for US$130,000 to cover police overtime costs to investigate the actor’s claims.
The lawsuit said Chicago would seek “three times the amount of the damages the city sustained”.
Lawyer Mark Geragos talking to the media. File photo: AP
Smollett, 36, who is black and gay, ignited a firestorm on social media by telling police on January 29 that two apparent supporters of President Donald Trump struck him, put a noose around his neck and poured bleach over him while yelling racist and homophobic slurs on a Chicago street.
After weeks of investigation, Chicago police determined that Smollett cooked up the scheme – in which they allege he hired two brothers to pose as his attackers – because he was not satisfied with his salary on Empire.
Smollett, best known for his role on the Twentieth Century Fox Television hip-hop drama, has said he has always been truthful about the incident.
He was charged in February with staging the attack and filing a false police report, but Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office prosecutors dropped all charges against him in March.
Outgoing Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel described the decision as “a whitewash of justice”.
Outgoing Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel on March 26, 2019. Photo: AP
Smollett admitted no wrongdoing, but agreed to do community service and give up US$10,000 in bond money.
It is unclear whether Chicago’s mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot will pursue the legal case when she takes office on May 20.
She said the State’s Attorney’s Office had to better explain why it dropped charges and there should not be the perception there was one set of justice for the “rich or famous” and another for everyone else.