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| Jussie Smollett: Judge calls alleged hoax attack 'despicable' | Jussie Smollett: Judge calls alleged hoax attack 'despicable' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A Chicago judge has said charges that US actor Jussie Smollett staged a hoax hate crime against himself are "utterly outrageous" and "despicable" if true. | A Chicago judge has said charges that US actor Jussie Smollett staged a hoax hate crime against himself are "utterly outrageous" and "despicable" if true. |
| The 36-year-old African-American actor is accused of filing a fake police report claiming he was the victim of a homophobic and racist assault. | The 36-year-old African-American actor is accused of filing a fake police report claiming he was the victim of a homophobic and racist assault. |
| Judge John Fitzgerald Lyke, who is also black, said the "most vile" part of the incident was the use of a noose. | Judge John Fitzgerald Lyke, who is also black, said the "most vile" part of the incident was the use of a noose. |
| Police say he staged the attack because he was "dissatisfied with his salary". | Police say he staged the attack because he was "dissatisfied with his salary". |
| What happened in court? | What happened in court? |
| "That symbol conjures up such evil in this country's history," Judge Lyke said of a rope that Mr Smollett claimed the attackers had hung round his neck, according to the Chicago Tribune. | "That symbol conjures up such evil in this country's history," Judge Lyke said of a rope that Mr Smollett claimed the attackers had hung round his neck, according to the Chicago Tribune. |
| The judge's comments at Thursday's court appearance alluded to the racist lynchings of thousands of black Americans in the post-American Civil War era. | The judge's comments at Thursday's court appearance alluded to the racist lynchings of thousands of black Americans in the post-American Civil War era. |
| Mr Smollett, who stars on the TV series Empire, is suspected of paying two brothers to stage the attack on himself. | Mr Smollett, who stars on the TV series Empire, is suspected of paying two brothers to stage the attack on himself. |
| The siblings are co-operating with the investigation, police say. | The siblings are co-operating with the investigation, police say. |
| Chicago officials say Mr Smollett also sent a racist letter to himself at a Fox studio before staging the attack. | Chicago officials say Mr Smollett also sent a racist letter to himself at a Fox studio before staging the attack. |
| Judge Lyke set Mr Smollett's bail at $100,000 (£76,000), which requires him to submit a bond of $10,000 and surrender his passport. | Judge Lyke set Mr Smollett's bail at $100,000 (£76,000), which requires him to submit a bond of $10,000 and surrender his passport. |
| Mr Smollett denies the charge of felony disorderly conduct. His lawyers said they would "mount an aggressive defence". | |
| Jack Prior, one of the actor's attorneys, told the court the accusations were "inconsistent with Mr Smollett's character" and that the actor "wants nothing more than to clear his name". | Jack Prior, one of the actor's attorneys, told the court the accusations were "inconsistent with Mr Smollett's character" and that the actor "wants nothing more than to clear his name". |
| If convicted, he could be sentenced to three years in prison and made to pay for the cost of the police investigation. | |
| What did police say? | |
| In a news conference earlier on Thursday, Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson lashed out at the "shameful" scheme. | |
| "Why would anyone, especially an African-American man, use the symbolism of a noose to make false accusations?" he said. | |
| "How could someone look at the hatred and suffering associated with that symbol and see an opportunity to manipulate that symbol to further his own public profile?" | "How could someone look at the hatred and suffering associated with that symbol and see an opportunity to manipulate that symbol to further his own public profile?" |
| Supt Johnson accused Mr Smollett of taking "advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career". | Supt Johnson accused Mr Smollett of taking "advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career". |
| He said Mr Smollett had betrayed the city of Chicago, and said "this publicity stunt was a scar that Chicago didn't earn and certainly didn't deserve". | He said Mr Smollett had betrayed the city of Chicago, and said "this publicity stunt was a scar that Chicago didn't earn and certainly didn't deserve". |
| The "hoax", he said, "received national attention for weeks", and may deter future hate crime victims from coming forward for fear that their allegations may be met with scepticism. | The "hoax", he said, "received national attention for weeks", and may deter future hate crime victims from coming forward for fear that their allegations may be met with scepticism. |
| He called upon the actor "to apologise to this city that he smeared". | He called upon the actor "to apologise to this city that he smeared". |
| "Celebrities, news commentators, and even presidential candidates weighed in on something that was choreographed by an actor," said Supt Johnson, with palpable anger. | "Celebrities, news commentators, and even presidential candidates weighed in on something that was choreographed by an actor," said Supt Johnson, with palpable anger. |
| "I'm left hanging my head and asking why," he added, describing Mr Smollett's actions as a "slap in the face" to Chicagoans. | "I'm left hanging my head and asking why," he added, describing Mr Smollett's actions as a "slap in the face" to Chicagoans. |
| How did the case unfold? | How did the case unfold? |
| The openly gay actor said he had gone out to buy food late at night on 29 January from a Subway sandwich shop in Chicago city centre when two white men hurled racial and homophobic insults at him. | |
| He said they also punched him, poured a chemical substance over him and put a rope around his neck. | He said they also punched him, poured a chemical substance over him and put a rope around his neck. |
| Mr Smollett also claimed the men had told him "this is Maga country", referring to President Donald Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan. | Mr Smollett also claimed the men had told him "this is Maga country", referring to President Donald Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan. |
| An outpouring of support followed, including from Oscar winner Viola Davis and supermodel Naomi Campbell. | |
| Democratic White House hopefuls also expressed support, with senator Cory Booker calling the incident a "modern-day lynching". | |
| In an interview last week with ABC's morning TV show, Mr Smollett tearfully said he had been "forever changed" by the alleged incident. | In an interview last week with ABC's morning TV show, Mr Smollett tearfully said he had been "forever changed" by the alleged incident. |
| But suspicions mounted as police were unable to find any video footage of the incident from over 50 surveillance cameras they reviewed. There were also no witnesses. | But suspicions mounted as police were unable to find any video footage of the incident from over 50 surveillance cameras they reviewed. There were also no witnesses. |
| Investigators managed to track and identify two men who appeared on video footage near where the actor said he had been attacked through a ride-sharing app. | Investigators managed to track and identify two men who appeared on video footage near where the actor said he had been attacked through a ride-sharing app. |
| The men - Ola and Abel Osundairo - had left the US for Nigeria following the alleged attack and were held for nearly 48 hours after they returned last week. | The men - Ola and Abel Osundairo - had left the US for Nigeria following the alleged attack and were held for nearly 48 hours after they returned last week. |
| They were released without charges after providing information that "shifted the trajectory of the investigation", police said. | They were released without charges after providing information that "shifted the trajectory of the investigation", police said. |
| One of the brothers is Mr Smollett's personal trainer and both have worked as extras on Empire, a hit Fox show that depicts the lives of a music mogul and his family in Chicago. | One of the brothers is Mr Smollett's personal trainer and both have worked as extras on Empire, a hit Fox show that depicts the lives of a music mogul and his family in Chicago. |
| Police say they have a cheque that Mr Smollett signed and that he had agreed to pay $3,500 (£2,700) for the brothers' participation. | Police say they have a cheque that Mr Smollett signed and that he had agreed to pay $3,500 (£2,700) for the brothers' participation. |
| Supt Johnson said that Mr Smollett had told at least one of the brothers that he was "dissatisfied" with his salary from Fox. | Supt Johnson said that Mr Smollett had told at least one of the brothers that he was "dissatisfied" with his salary from Fox. |
| Investigators said on Thursday that some minor scrapes on Mr Smollett's face were probably self-inflicted. | Investigators said on Thursday that some minor scrapes on Mr Smollett's face were probably self-inflicted. |
| Supt Johnson said Mr Smollett first "attempted to gain attention by sending a false letter that relied on racial, homophobic and political language" to himself at Fox studios. | Supt Johnson said Mr Smollett first "attempted to gain attention by sending a false letter that relied on racial, homophobic and political language" to himself at Fox studios. |
| Police had confirmed in early February that white powder - later identified as aspirin - was in the letter. | |
| During another news conference on Thursday, police said Mr Smollett had also claimed that three days before the attack he received an unidentified phone call from a man who uttered a homophobic slur then hung up. | During another news conference on Thursday, police said Mr Smollett had also claimed that three days before the attack he received an unidentified phone call from a man who uttered a homophobic slur then hung up. |
| He told police the incident happened near a surveillance camera. It was the same camera that police say Mr Smollett would later point out to the Osundairo brothers in preparation for the alleged hoax attack. | He told police the incident happened near a surveillance camera. It was the same camera that police say Mr Smollett would later point out to the Osundairo brothers in preparation for the alleged hoax attack. |
| On Wednesday, CBS Chicago obtained footage which appeared to show two people buying materials, including balaclavas, that had allegedly been worn by the actor's attackers. | On Wednesday, CBS Chicago obtained footage which appeared to show two people buying materials, including balaclavas, that had allegedly been worn by the actor's attackers. |
| Mr Smollett turned himself in early on Thursday. | Mr Smollett turned himself in early on Thursday. |
| Fox Entertainment and 20th Century Fox Television, which make Empire, issued a statement on Thursday saying they were "evaluating the situation" and "considering our options." | |
| President Trump tweeted his condemnation after the police news conference of Mr Smollett's "racist and dangerous comments". |