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Smollett Indicted in Illinois

By Jeralyn, Section Crime in the News
Posted on Wed Feb 20, 2019 at 08:15:41 PM EST
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Jussie Smollett has been charged in Chicago with a felony for allegedly falsely reporting a hate crime.

From the article, it appears the prosecutors called brothers Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo as witnesses before the grand jury this evening.

The men had reportedly told investigators that Mr. Smollett had coordinated a faux attack and paid them to participate in it.

Filing a false report in Illinois can be a misdemeanor or felony. The Grand Jury indicted Smollett for the felony version, which carries up to 3 years in prison.

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    Smollett Indicted in Illinois | 67 comments (67 topical)

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    This is merely (5.00 / 1) (#43)
    by KeysDan on Fri Feb 22, 2019 at 10:31:38 AM EST
    a "process crime."  Some false statements, misleading or inaccurate paperwork.  And, no one was really hurt.    A witch hunt.

    #Justice4jussie. (none / 0) (#1)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Wed Feb 20, 2019 at 08:25:24 PM EST
    Indeed.

    You were hoping to (none / 0) (#6)
    by jondee on Wed Feb 20, 2019 at 11:21:48 PM EST
    but you didn't see anyone jumping up and down about it here, did you?

    What a let down.

    Parent

    Nope. (none / 0) (#16)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 10:09:03 AM EST
    The readers here seem much more immune to hoaxes like this and the Covington kids, the UVA gang rape, etc. etc.  Quite the contrast to a number of presidential candidates.

    Parent
    I (5.00 / 2) (#28)
    by FlJoe on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 02:40:14 PM EST
    guess we shouldn't overlook tRump's "rush to judgement"
    President Donald Trump on Thursday called the attack on "Empire" star Jussie Smollett "horrible," condemning the assault by individuals who the actor alleged referenced the president's campaign slogan as they attacked him.


    Parent
    Nor that (none / 0) (#29)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 04:31:02 PM EST
    of the hard nosed journalists that bought it hook, line and sinker.

    Parent
    When the orange ape (1.00 / 1) (#37)
    by jondee on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 08:20:34 PM EST
    is, as part of his day-to-day business, inspiring people to deliver pipe bombs and amass and plot Anders Breivik-like attacks, it's not surprising at all that some bought this story hook, line, and sinker.

    Parent
    Oooh a 1 from McBain (5.00 / 2) (#48)
    by jondee on Fri Feb 22, 2019 at 12:22:51 PM EST
    time to straighten up and fly right

    Parent
    James Hodgkinson (1.00 / 1) (#39)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Fri Feb 22, 2019 at 09:08:27 AM EST

    Was the last to pull a trigger in Breivik-like attack.  You or Bernie want to take credit for him?

    Parent
    Didn't you hear? (5.00 / 1) (#47)
    by jondee on Fri Feb 22, 2019 at 12:21:16 PM EST
    Hodgkinson was a crisis actor working on behalf of the Soros-funded gun-grabbers.

    Don't believe everything you hear in the Deep State-controlled Fake News media.

    Parent

    Do (none / 0) (#40)
    by FlJoe on Fri Feb 22, 2019 at 09:18:11 AM EST
    you want to name one time that Bernie used violent rhetoric?

    Parent
    Violent action (none / 0) (#60)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Fri Feb 22, 2019 at 08:39:01 PM EST
    Beats violent rhetoric.

    OTOH, here is some violent lefty rhetoric for you.

    Parent

    Whoah - some guy on FB! (5.00 / 2) (#61)
    by Yman on Sat Feb 23, 2019 at 12:26:07 PM EST
    Heh, heh, heh ...

    When you start denouncing the hateful, bigoted and racist rhetoric from the Buffoon-In-Chief and the actual violence he incites, then you can complain about some clown on FB.

    Parent

    I know, (none / 0) (#62)
    by Zorba on Sat Feb 23, 2019 at 01:18:24 PM EST
    Right?

    Parent
    Sure (none / 0) (#44)
    by Yman on Fri Feb 22, 2019 at 10:39:45 AM EST
    As soon as you provide evidence of Bernie encouraging violence against opponents, like the orange buffoon you support.

    I'll wait.

    Parent

    Covington was a "hoax"? (none / 0) (#35)
    by Yman on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 05:48:11 PM EST
    Heh.  That's funny.

    Parent
    If it's true (none / 0) (#2)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Feb 20, 2019 at 08:28:18 PM EST
    I hope he gets every day of it

    I think I'l wait for the defense psych report (none / 0) (#4)
    by Peter G on Wed Feb 20, 2019 at 10:16:46 PM EST
    before I get all punitive on him.

    Parent
    I look forward to hearing what (none / 0) (#5)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Feb 20, 2019 at 10:31:21 PM EST
    Psychological condition would justify or excuse what he is accused of.

    If that's the goal.

    Parent

    Neither excused nor justified (5.00 / 1) (#13)
    by Peter G on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 09:20:42 AM EST
    My reaction was to your "every day" comment, Howdy. Hence, my reference to being "punitive." I want to see whether there are psychological grounds for mitigation of punishment, which would be neither excuse (e.g., insanity) nor justification (e.g., self-defense). If not, I agree that there are foreseeable harms to others (real victims of hate crimes) that can rightly be viewed as aggravating circumstances. I believe in thoughtfully balanced penalties for crimes. Guilt does not automatically imply maximum punishment in every case (which I realize you do not and did not advocate). Just saying that aggravating circumstances should always be balanced with any mitigation that may appear.

    Parent
    What about the letter Peter (none / 0) (#17)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 10:14:56 AM EST
    Would that not be at least as serious a crime?

    Parent
    Yes, potentially (none / 0) (#21)
    by Peter G on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 11:49:26 AM EST
    Although for somewhat different reasons.

    Parent
    As someone who has experience (none / 0) (#10)
    by ragebot on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 01:13:22 AM EST
    dealing with vets who are getting mental health help from the VA my view has changed from what it was earlier.

    It is frightening to see the demons some folks have to deal with.  Not trying to go soft on Smollett but he could well not be able to control his actions.

    Those demons may be worse punishment than anything the courts could deal out.  This is a real problem I don't have a good answer to.  Even with good treatment he may not be able to function as a "normal human".

    To make matters worse every time something like this happens it not only affects those directly involved but more importantly those who may suffer from real harassment down the line and have to overcome doubt Smollett has created.

    Parent

    Is he a veteran? (none / 0) (#11)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 08:36:39 AM EST
    I can't find anything that says he is.  His wiki page says he was born into acting.  He was a child actor and some of his siblings were also.

    Do you know any actors?  I do.  I known quite a few

    What he did was heinous.  Full stop. It was a gift tied up with a bow to Tucker Carlson and all the rest. It was beyond stupid.  It was criminal.   It appears he did it because he was afraid of being dropped from Empire.  From his f'ing TV show.  Poor dear.  It must have been just terrible for him.

    IMO if he is allowed to slide because he is a rich actor who can afford the best lawyers it will be a travesty.

    Parent

    Also (none / 0) (#12)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 09:01:54 AM EST
    Please save the lecture about jumping to one conclusion and now jumpin to another.

    I have made a comment about this case until this thread.  But honestly it always seemed a little hincky to me.

    And the my only conclusion now is that IF HE DID THIS, if he put a noose around his own neck to get attention he as much as spit on the graves of every black man ever lynched or gay black person beaten to death in an alley.

    While giving right wing talk radio a beautiful excuse to question every one that comes after.

    Screw him.

    Parent

    If he's guilty, penalize him for whatever (none / 0) (#15)
    by McBain on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 09:51:41 AM EST
    law he broke, not for helping "right wing talk radio" or insulting the memory of hate crime victims who's death he had nothing to do with.

    I know that's hard to do... separate the politics from the law... but it's what needs to be done.

    Parent

    Right (none / 0) (#19)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 10:28:56 AM EST
    Just wondering what the over under might be on how long until you use this case to question an actual attack.

    Parent
    Just about no one questions an actual attack (2.00 / 2) (#25)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 01:25:28 PM EST
    Aledged attacks are another matter.

    Parent
    In the current climate (5.00 / 1) (#49)
    by jondee on Fri Feb 22, 2019 at 01:14:01 PM EST
    with it's barrage of disinformation and conspiracy theory memes and a significant % of the populace unsure who or what to believe, every event not witnessed firsthand, including basic scientific observation, has been permanently relegated to "alleged" status in some quarters.

    ..the "alleged" veracity of anything reported in the media..the "alleged" status of the Sandy Hook and Parkland shootings.. the "alleged" status of the greenhouse effect, and the "alleged" status of the evolution of species..

    Parent

    I'm With Capt on This One... (none / 0) (#50)
    by ScottW714 on Fri Feb 22, 2019 at 02:53:40 PM EST
    ...this is the same as the Duke Lacrosse team, now every-time someone claims to have been beaten because race or sexual orientation, Jussie Smollett will be the fisrt words uttered much like Crystal Mangum is trotted out as proof that women lie about getting raped.

    The damage this jackaloon did is immeasurable, and he he did it for such a pathetic reason, to make more money.  FYI, he was fired from this afternoon.

    Parent

    "jackaloon" is right. (none / 0) (#54)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Feb 22, 2019 at 03:40:16 PM EST
    However, I'm not sure he's quite fired yet.
    Whether or not Smollett will return to the show should it gets picked up for a sixth season remains to be seen.


    Parent
    If this is a tipping point (none / 0) (#58)
    by McBain on Fri Feb 22, 2019 at 06:41:11 PM EST
    that gets more people to be skeptical of early reporting, maybe some good will come out of it but I doubt that will happen.  People will continue to believe what they want to believe most of the time.  

    As for Duke Lacrosse, this isn't as bad.  In that debacle, specific individuals were accused of a crime that would have put them in prison and destroyed their lives. And that happened after Tawana Brawley, so again, I'm not sure people are going to change much.  

    Welcome back.

    Parent

    It's one thing to be skeptical (none / 0) (#59)
    by jondee on Fri Feb 22, 2019 at 07:23:11 PM EST
    and it's another to turn the reportage of events into fodder for bizarro conspiracy theories the way a certain tangerine-tinted anthropoid's followers do on practically on a weekly basis.

    What good has come out of that species of skepticism?

    Parent

    You don't have to be a vet (none / 0) (#18)
    by ragebot on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 10:20:40 AM EST
    to have demons to deal with.

    By all accounts Chris Kyle was trying to do good helping vets with problems.  He was killed by Eddie Ray Routh who said he did it because he was in the back seat of a car and being ignored.

    I can't imagine what demons Routh had to deal with and agree completely with his live with out parole sentence.

    What Smollett did really makes no sense; as is the case with lots of crimes of this nature.  I am reminded of the blurb 'if someone has reached their position through illogical means you can get them to change it using logical means.

    My position is Smollett should be punished, and punished harshly.  But I also understand his demons may be a harsher punishment than anything the courts can deal out.


    Parent

    I would guess (none / 0) (#20)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 10:31:10 AM EST
    I understand demons as well as the next person.

    Often they can make you a danger to yourself or others.

    Parent

    Capt don't take this wrong (none / 0) (#24)
    by ragebot on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 12:09:04 PM EST
    but you seem like a kinda normal guy (even if I don't always get your politics).  While I don't know you I am guessing you don't hear voices or see visions.  You probably don't have God talking to you about what you should do next; or even the Devil talking to you.

    I have met guys like this.  As I mentioned Chris Kyle was trying to work with folks who had demons like that.  Some times you can be talking to them in what seems like a normal conversation (and lots of mental health pros think they do need what I call contact with normal folks) and they go completely off the tracks.

    In many of these cases these peeps can seem very normal if they are on the right cocktail of meds.  But that can change in a hurry.  It may be that what Peter G was trying to get across is that if Smollett is diagnosed as needing meds he deserves to be treated; but IMHO being treated while also being punished in a conventional way.

    While I was an undergrad I was on a debate scholarship and sorta had to do some drama stuff.  Half the actors I met seemed to me to be 'crazy as a loon' as one of my drama profs said.  I would bet Smollett would fit that description.

    Parent

    One of Smollett's punishments will likely be ... (none / 0) (#53)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Feb 22, 2019 at 03:15:57 PM EST
    ... near-permanent exile from a profession he both loved and probably took for granted. Hollywood's historic and near-maniacal aversion to the courting of controversy, when conflated with the media's penchant for seeking it out, will ensure that Smollett's continued presence in the Hollywood scene will remain controversial. His won't be the first or last showbiz career to be derailed by personal behavior.

    Parent
    Works for me (none / 0) (#57)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Feb 22, 2019 at 04:34:42 PM EST


    Parent
    I have seen lots of stories (none / 0) (#63)
    by ragebot on Sat Feb 23, 2019 at 02:48:31 PM EST
    about actors who were outwardly very successful but hated what they were doing.  Monroe was a classic example of someone who on the outside was a huge success yet wound up taking her own life for reasons which are still not clear.

    There have been several posts about Smollett which assume he was logical (and criminal) in what he did and logic is the approach to punish and rehabilitate him.  What I am saying he is crazy and logic has no effect on him.

    Parent

    Up until the fifties and sixties (none / 0) (#64)
    by jondee on Sun Feb 24, 2019 at 12:55:48 PM EST
    the prevailing paradigm for shrinks was along the lines of the Freudian model, which involved a lot of rehashing over-and-over of one's childhood fantasies and early family experience and traumas.

    Brando touched on this in his autobiography. He felt that it was a big part of the reason people like Monroe and Dean and Montgomery Clift stayed screwed up and confused for most of their lives.

    God only knows what Smollet was thinking. Some sort of runaway anxiety and insecurity along the lines of "if I don't do something radical, my career will be gone."

    Parent

    #FakeNoose (none / 0) (#3)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed Feb 20, 2019 at 09:58:02 PM EST
    At this point, it seems pretty cut and dried.

    His family must be pretty torn up due to this.

    We all do stupid things. We don't often think through the consequences and how it might hurt the people who love us.

    That said, wtf dude?!

    "At this point" every case (none / 0) (#14)
    by Peter G on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 09:24:32 AM EST
    "seems pretty cut and dried" -- that is, at the moment of first accusation, before we've heard from the defense side. That's why we need to remember to keep an open mind. And why we value defense attorneys and their/our essential role in the process of seeking justice.

    Parent
    Fair enough. (none / 0) (#22)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 11:49:47 AM EST
    Although, effectively, Smollett's been airing out his "defense" for weeks on network TV talk shows and whatnot.

    I will be interested to see what his attorneys come up with.

    Parent

    Fer example (none / 0) (#26)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 01:27:38 PM EST
    CBS Chicago went to a bunch of stores and found the video footage of the two brothers buying gloves, masks, and red hat similar to the ones Smollett said his attackers wore.

    I guess Smollett's defense could be that he didn't hire the brothers to fake an attack, but that they actually attacked him?

    Parent

    O dear lord (none / 0) (#27)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 02:17:25 PM EST
    Apparently he paid the brothers with a check.

    (Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie) Johnson said that police have the $3,500 check Smollett allegedly wrote to the two brothers.


    Parent
    Not too bright (none / 0) (#31)
    by Zorba on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 04:44:49 PM EST
    A move, was it?
    Oy!

    Parent
    Brings new meaning to the phrase (none / 0) (#32)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 04:50:26 PM EST
    "rope a dope"...

    Parent
    Felony dumb. (none / 0) (#38)
    by oculus on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 11:08:15 PM EST


    Parent
    I hate to admit it (none / 0) (#41)
    by Peter G on Fri Feb 22, 2019 at 09:25:20 AM EST
    but that was really funny.

    Parent
    Thanks, but I can't claim it as my own. (5.00 / 1) (#46)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Feb 22, 2019 at 11:52:37 AM EST


    Parent
    Well, (none / 0) (#42)
    by Zorba on Fri Feb 22, 2019 at 09:39:27 AM EST
    If the guy was really smart, he would never have gotten exposed for what he did, and charged.

    Parent
    Referring to (none / 0) (#45)
    by Peter G on Fri Feb 22, 2019 at 11:39:04 AM EST
    SUO #32.

    Parent
    For What It's Worth... (none / 0) (#51)
    by ScottW714 on Fri Feb 22, 2019 at 02:55:39 PM EST
    ...one of the brothers was a his personal trainer which he surely would have paid by check ?

    Parent
    Well, I'm not sure he was exactly (none / 0) (#55)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Feb 22, 2019 at 03:43:16 PM EST
    his personal trainer, various media sources say different things. Some say one of his brothers was a workout partner, others say he was his drug dealer.

    Anyway, ya, they do seem to have had a previous financial relationship.

    Parent

    Johnson also fired back against recent reports (none / 0) (#65)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon Feb 25, 2019 at 11:46:05 AM EST
    (
    Chicago police chief)Johnson also fired back against recent reports that the $3,500 check at the center of the case was really a payment from Smollett to bodybuilding brothers Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo for training sessions.

    "They [the brothers] said that he paid them $3,500 with a check ... to carry out this incident"



    Parent
    LOL. (none / 0) (#52)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Feb 22, 2019 at 02:56:55 PM EST
    Jussie Smollett's not exactly one of the brighter bulbs in the chandelier, is he?

    Parent
    Nope. (none / 0) (#56)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Feb 22, 2019 at 03:57:43 PM EST
    One other genius aspect is that he chose the exact site of the fake attack so that it would be recorded by the police camera located there...but he didn't grasp that the camera was actually pointed in the opposite direction.

    Doh!

    Parent

    I Read the Same Thing... (none / 0) (#66)
    by ScottW714 on Mon Feb 25, 2019 at 12:53:34 PM EST
    ...and it literally doesn't make sense, he doesn't understand that the end with the round glass piece is the way the camera is pointing ?  And not to point out the totally obvious, but if you are trying to get sympathy of getting your A kicked by a MAGA supporter, maybe you ought not hire two black guys if your plan is to catch it on video ?

    Cops are the brightest somedays, but they are usually pretty descent about determining race on a video.

    Parent

    To be fair, (none / 0) (#67)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon Feb 25, 2019 at 05:47:07 PM EST
    if this was the type of camera I wouldn't know which way it was pointing either...

    Parent
    This seems like it might (none / 0) (#7)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 12:31:17 AM EST
    Be even more serious if it was also staged

    A week before the reported attack, Mr. Smollett said he had received a virulently racist and threatening anonymous letter containing a white powder, later determined to be harmless. The F.B.I. is investigating the letter but has declined to comment.

    No idea if it was or not but you have to wonder.  

    I can't remember where I read it but apparently (none / 0) (#8)
    by vml68 on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 12:45:29 AM EST
    the brothers who were interviewed claimed that Smollett staged the attack because he did not get the reaction to the anonymous letter that he was hoping for.

    Parent
    Sources say (none / 0) (#9)
    by ragebot on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 01:05:29 AM EST
    (what ever that means) that Smollett wrote the letter.

    Parent
    yup (none / 0) (#23)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 11:50:52 AM EST


    Parent
    Details (none / 0) (#30)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 04:37:41 PM EST
    One of the more interesting details in this case is the amount of resources devoted to this case. Most muggings likely get no more police involvement than just recording they happened. Checking Uber and Lyft logs, checking all of the retailers that sold that type clothesline, video from multiple sources, etc.  That may be more than the average murder gets.

    The (none / 0) (#33)
    by FlJoe on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 04:59:10 PM EST
    glare of the media does strange things, to the press, the politicians and the police.  

    It was a story impossible to ignore. It would be hard for politicians to say lets wait and see, hard for reporters to avoid the sensationalism and give every incentive for the police to get to the bottom of it.

    Parent

    Agreed (none / 0) (#34)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 05:39:11 PM EST

    The so called news professionals have not covered themselves with glory. Some local newsies excepted.

    Parent
    The local news (none / 0) (#36)
    by ragebot on Thu Feb 21, 2019 at 07:39:57 PM EST
    guys said they had inside tips from LEOs they knew who thought right from the start Smollett was faking it.  First off he shows up at his place 45 minutes after the attack with a rope around his neck and a Subway Sub in his hand after he was suppose to have been in a fight.

    Guess maybe he was fighting with one hand holding a sub but if it was me I would fight with both hands.  His story only got worse as time passed.  Not turning over his (and his manager's) smart phones certainly raised eyebrows.

    Most LEOs have experience with real vics who normally do everything possible to help catch the perp.  When Smollett seemed to be less than helpful they smelled a rat.

    Parent

    Smollett Indicted in Illinois | 67 comments (67 topical)

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