Jussie Smollett ordered to pay $130K to cover investigation costs of alleged attack
Chicago city officials have ordered Jussie Smollett to pay $130,000 to cover the cost of the investigation into his alleged attack.
City officials were left stunned on Tuesday when the Assistant State’s Attorney in Cook County, Chicago dropped all 16 felony charges of disorderly conduct against the Empire actor, who had been accused of lying to the police about being the victim of a hate crime in January.
Police launched an investigation after he filed a police report claiming he had been attacked by two masked men who beat him up, tied a noose around his neck and poured bleach on him while yelling racial and homophobic slurs. Weeks later, the case took a turn when brothers Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo accused him of paying them to stage the attack, and now city officials want the 36-year-old to cover the costs spent on the almost two-month probe.
“The City of Chicago and the Chicago Police Department take seriously those who make false statements to the police, thereby diverting resources from other investigations and undermining the criminal justice system,” the letter reads. “Over two dozen detectives and police officers participated in the investigation, ultimately spending weeks investigating your false claims, including a substantial number of overtime hours.
“In an attempt to resolve this matter without further legal action, the City requires immediate payment for the $130,106.15 expended on overtime hours in the investigation of this matter.”
The letter concludes by warning Smollett that he could be prosecuted, and they might seek fines, damages, and court costs if he doesn’t pay up in a timely fashion.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, police chief Eddie Johnson, and even U.S. President Donald Trump have spoken out to condemn the surprising decision, which is now being looked into by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI agents.
Smollett, who has always maintained his innocence, carried out community service and let the city keep his $10,000 in bail in return for the charges being dropped and the case sealed.
During a court hearing on Thursday, media lawyers argued that the public had the right to know what happened. Prosecutors offered no additional information but promised to notify outlets if the actor’s lawyers tried to expunge his record, according to The Associated Press.
Click for update news Bangla news
No comments