Jussie Smollett, former Empire has pleaded not guilty to the latest charges of disorderly conduct. Smollett is accused of staging a hate crime against himself in 2019.
He made the plea on Monday morning at a court in Chicago to the new felony charges.
The actor appeared at the Cook County courthouse with his family members and lawyer, Tina Glandian. He was charged with six counts of disorderly conduct earlier this month for allegedly lying to police about being the victim of a hate crime.
Chicago police claim that Smollett who is openly gay, paid two brothers to stage a homophobic; and racist attack against him on January 29, 2019. Smollett‘s attorneys are seeking to have the charges dismissed on double jeopardy grounds.
Abel and Ola Osundairo, the two Nigerian brothers who claimed he paid them to attack him were also in court with their attorney.
Smollett had pleaded not guilty to 16 counts last year before the Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx‘s office announced it was dismissing the case.
But retired appellate judge Sheila O’Brien later petitioned the court to appoint a special prosecutor to reopen the case. To also examine why charges against Smollett were dropped.
The case is now being handled by Special Prosecutor Dan Webb who was appointed to represent the state. Webb is also investigating Foxx’s office and how they handled the case.
Smollett’s Alleged Attack
Smollett, told police that two masked men attacked him as he was walking home in January 2019. He said they made racist and homophobic insults, beat him and looped a noose around his neck before fleeing. He added that at least one of his attackers was a white man who told him he was in “MAGA country.”
Maga is a reference to President Donald Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again.”
Weeks later, police alleged that Smollett had paid two Nigerian brothers, Ola and Abel Osundairo $3,500 to stage the attack.