Jussie Smollett Denied Dismissal Of His Criminal Case, Will Proceed To Trial
Jussie Smollett, the former Empire actor embroiled in a false claim that he was attacked in Chicago and subjected to racist and anti-gay slurs, now will face criminal charges of lying to police.
A judge on Friday denied a bid to dismiss the criminal case against Smollett.
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An attorney for Smollett claimed the actor’s rights were being violated since he has already performed community service and given up a $10,000 bond under a previous deal with Cook County prosecutors to drop charges.
“A deal is a deal. That’s ancient principle,” attorney Nenye Uche said.
Judge James Linn disagreed, and noted that the Smollett case is now being led by a special prosecutor appointed by another judge.
Linn said jury selection in Smollett’s trial would start Nov. 29.
Smollett told police in January 2019 that two masked men attacked him when he was in Chicago. He was charged weeks later with filing a false police report when it was determined he staged the attack and paid two brothers to help carry it out. Smollett hoped the resulting sympathy would promote his career.
That case, however, was surprisingly dropped by controversial Cook County prosecutor Kim Foxx.
The case was revived when a special prosecutor charged Smollett with disorderly conduct over the police reports. The actor has pleaded not guilty.
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