Despite being found to have staged a hate hoax against himself and being let off the hook other than having to pay back the city of Chicago the costs of the investigation into the fake violent “attack,” Jussie Smollett just won’t stop.
Now, the actor (who was kicked off the cast of his TV show Empire following the controversy of his case) is SUING the city of Chicago as well as several police officers for “malicious prosecution.”
According to the lawsuit filing, Smollett is accusing the city and law enforcement of causing him “substantial economic damages as well as reputational harm, humiliation, mental anguish and extreme emotional distress.”
Here’s the breaking news on this update to the Smollett saga that hit Twitter:
Fox News has more details on the lawsuit:
Jussie Smollett says the $10,000 he was mandated to pay after the criminal case against him was closed should prevent the city of Chicago from seeking reimbursement for the police investigation following his claim, back in January 2019, that he was a victim of a racist and homophobic attack.
Attorneys for the former "Empire" actor filed a response Tuesday to Chicago’s lawsuit in federal court. They also filed a counterclaim against the city, saying Smollett was the victim of a malicious prosecution that caused humiliation and extreme distress.
In January, Smollett told police he was attacked by two masked men as he was walking home from a Chicago Subway sandwich shop at approximately 2 a.m. The openly gay actor alleged that the masked men beat him, taunted him with homophobic and racial slurs and yelled, "This is MAGA country."
In February, police determined that Smollett's masked assailants were brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo, who trained Smollett and worked with him on "Empire."
Deadline also said:
Almost a year after Jussie Smollett claimed he was violently attacked on the cold streets of Chicago, the former Empire star has hit back at the Windy City and its police department.
“Despite the dismissal of all charges against Mr. Smollett, the CPD’s prosecution of Mr. Smollett based on the Osundairo Brothers’ false statements about the attack has caused Mr. Smollett to be the subject of mass public ridicule and harm to him personally,” states a response and counterclaim suit filed last night by the actor’s attorneys against the once Rahm Emanuel-ruled metropolis’ attempt to have Smollett pay up hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Chicago Police’s time and effort investigating the January 29 alleged assault.
“Aside from the substantial reputational harm the Osundairo Brothers’ false statements have caused him, Mr. Smollett has also suffered and continues to suffer substantial economic losses, including but not limited to lost employment opportunities and mounting legal fees, as well as severe mental anguish and distress,” the jury trial demanding document asserts (read it here). “Mr. Smollett must also defend against the instant case by the City for investigative costs in a case in which he was the victim of a crime,” the 48-page malicious prosecution filing adds, with the now Lori Lightfoot-run Chicago, CPD Superintendent Eddie Johnson, some detectives and brothers Ola and Abel Osundairo, who have testified that Smollett orchestrated their attack of him earlier this year.
Facing a court ordered special prosecutor in the criminal case and a constant dribble of documents from the police probe, Smollett was slammed by the city in April over the $130,000 cost of the case. The law actually allows Chicago to seek a re-payment of three times the estimated costs – about $390,318. However, in their latest filing, the city’s lawyers stated they want a “double recovery,” or just more than $260,000 – money Smollett may not have.
The city of Chicago is not bowing to Smollett's demands.
Reuters had the following to say about Chicago's response to Smollett's lawsuit:
Smollett, 37, best known for his work on the Fox television drama “Empire,” made his accusation in counterclaims filed on Wednesday, after Chicago sued him to recoup $130,106 in police overtime costs to investigate the beating claim.
He accused the city, police and others of causing “substantial economic damages as well as reputational harm, humiliation, mental anguish and extreme emotional distress,” and is seeking compensatory and punitive damages.
“The city stands by its original complaint and will continue to pursue this litigation,” Bill McCaffrey, a spokesman for Chicago’s law department, said by email. “We fully expect to be successful in defeating these counterclaims.”
Smollett, who is black and gay, ignited a social media firestorm after telling police on Jan. 29 that two masked men had thrown a noose around his neck, poured bleach on him and shouted racial and homophobic slurs, while expressing support for U.S. President Donald Trump.
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