Jussie Smollett has reached a settlement with the city of Chicago, bringing to a close a six-year legal battle stemming from a notorious hate hoax incident.
The city had initially filed a lawsuit against the actor after it emerged that he had fabricated a police report, falsely claiming to be the victim of a racist and homophobic attack. Smollett, however, maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, countersuing the city and denying any orchestration of the hoax. The specifics of the settlement remain undisclosed.
According to NBC News, the legal saga began in April 2019 when Chicago filed a civil suit against Smollett, just months after he alleged that he was assaulted in the Streeterville neighborhood. The city's lawsuit accused him of staging the attack, knowing his supposed assailants, and incurring $130,000 in costs related to the police investigation. Despite the mounting evidence, Smollett continued to assert that he did not orchestrate the attack nor file a false police report. On Monday, both parties informed the court of their settlement, though they indicated that additional time was needed to finalize the documentation.
The Illinois Supreme Court played a pivotal role in this case, reversing Smollett's conviction in November 2024 after his appeal was initially denied. The Gateway Pundit had been skeptical of Smollett's claims from the outset, labeling the incident a "hate hoax" shortly after it was reported in January 2019. Smollett's account of the attack involved two "white men" allegedly ambushing him in the early hours of a frigid Chicago morning, shouting "This is MAGA country!" and assaulting him with bleach and a noose while hurling racial and homophobic slurs.
However, the narrative unraveled when it was revealed that Smollett had paid two Nigerian brothers over $3,000 to stage the attack. Surveillance footage later showed the Osundairo brothers purchasing the items used in the hoax, including red hats, rope, and bleach. Despite overwhelming evidence presented in court, Smollett maintained his innocence, testifying for hours that he was the victim of a genuine crime.
This case has sparked significant debate over issues of race, politics, and media narratives, with many conservatives viewing it as a cautionary tale about the dangers of false accusations and the politicization of justice.
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