Jussie Smollett, the biracial homosexual actor who perpetrated a despicable hate hoax in Chicago, police allege, seems to have gotten away with it.
But the city’s top prosecutor, State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, might face trouble for her dubious role in the case and its outcome: Her office dropped all charges against the star of the Fox network’s Empire.
The Chicago police union wants the feds to investigate Foxx to find out how in Heaven’s name Smollett got away with it.
Charges Dropped, Not Exonerated
The O.J. Simpson of hate hoaxes had been charged with 16 felonies in connection with the hoax. He pleaded not guilty. But Foxx’s office suddenly dropped all the charges, despite having the evidence to convict.
“The investigation done by CPD and the detectives was outstanding,” assistant state’s attorney Joe Magats told the Chicago Tribune. “The fact that the case is disposed of alternatively is not and should not be read as some type of statement that the case is flawed.”
A spokeswoman for the office wrote that the “charges were dropped in return for Mr. Smollett’s agreement to do community service and forfeit his $10,000 bond to the City of Chicago. Without the completion of these terms, the charges would not have been dropped. This outcome was met under the same criteria that would occur for and is available to any defendant with similar circumstances.”
But Smollett was not exonerated, the prosecutor’s office said, an assessment with which Smollett’s attorney disagreed. She still claims MAGA monsters attacked Smollett, and denies any such deal with prosecutors.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel was furious about the dropped charges, and so were city’s cops. Superintendent Eddie Johnson (shown) said justice was not done in the case. A lead detective told the Tribune the prosecutor’s decision was a “punch in the gut.”
Feds Called In
That’s why the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police wants a federal probe.
Kevin Graham, the union’s president, CNN reported, wants a fresh look at Foxx, including text messages between Foxx and an attorney about “diverting the case from the Chicago police department to a federal investigation.”
Foxx recused herself from the Smollett investigation in mid-February because she had contacted Smollett’s family and representatives, including Tina Tchen, a family friend and Michelle Obama’s former chief of staff.
Text messages and e-mails CNN and the Tribune uncovered showed Foxx in some behind-the-scenes shenanigans with Tchen.
On February 1, Tchen wrote to Foxx to say Smollett’s family had “concerns about the investigation.”
“Spoke to Superintendent Johnson,” Foxx replied. “I convinced him to [r]each out to FBI to ask that they take over the investigation. He is reaching out now and will get back to me shortly.”
Tchen gave Foxx’s number to a Smollett family friend, who texted Foxx to ask if they could speak on the phone. Foxx texted back to say “she spoke to the [police] superintendent earlier, he made the ask. Trying to figure out the logistics.”
The unnamed interlocutor responded: “Omg this would be a huge victory.”
Thus did Foxx recuse herself.
But Graham, WLS in Chicago reported last week, said that recusal “is wholly insufficient. In order for Ms. Foxx to properly charge and try this case, her entire office should have recused itself and a special prosecutor been appointed.”
Now, with the charges dropped, CNN reported, Graham wrote to the Justice Department again. He’s particularly concerned about the hate letter Smollett supposedly received at the Empire set a week before the attack.
“We’re doubling down on that. We want to make sure that the Justice Department takes a very hard look with that case and what went on today,” he said.
The envelope bore the return address MAGA — Make American Great Again — and contained white powder that turned out to be acetaminophen, and a threatening message.
That letter could be trouble for Smollett, who could face federal mail fraud charges.
The Attack
A week after he received the letter, Smollett claimed, two whites attacked him on his return from Subway. They called him names, beat him, doused him with bleach, and wrapped a noose around his neck.
The nation collapsed in grief, with politicians, including President Trump, denouncing the attack. Left-wing Hollywood celebrities blamed Trump.
But police quickly uncovered an elaborate scheme to get a raise.
Smollett has a conviction for lying to authorities.
Photo: AP Images
