Plot twist.
The charges against Jussie Smollett have been dropped, according to CBS Chicago reporter Charlie De Mar, who tweeted the breaking news on Tuesday morning.
Earlier this month, a Cook County jury indicted the 36-year-old on 16 felony counts of disorderly conduct and filing a false police report in relation to his claim that he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack.
“Today, all criminal charges against Jussie Smollett were dropped and his record wiped clean of the filing of this tragic complaint against him,” read a statement via Smollett’s attorneys Tina Glandian and Patricia Brown Holmes. “Jussie was attacked by two people he was unable to identify on January 29th. He was a victim who was vilified and made to appear as a perpetrator as a result of false and inappropriate remarks made to the public causing an inappropriate rush to judgment.”
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“This entire situation is a reminder that there should never be an attempt to prove a case in the court of public opinion,” the statement continued.
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The Cook County State’s Attorney Office also released a statement confirming Smollett has forfeit his bond.
Earlier this morning, the actor-singer reportedly showed for an “emergency court appearance” the day after news surfaced of Mike Avenatti’s extortion charge against Nike, in which Smollett’s attorney Mark Geragos was listed as a “co-conspirator.”
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21st Century Fox Television has informed The Root that they have no comment at this time. We will keep you posted with updates as they arise.
