{"id":1105393,"date":"2021-12-10T08:58:42","date_gmt":"2021-12-10T13:58:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1105393"},"modified":"2021-12-10T08:58:44","modified_gmt":"2021-12-10T13:58:44","slug":"timeline-of-events-since-jussie-smollett-reported-attack","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/timeline-of-events-since-jussie-smollett-reported-attack\/","title":{"rendered":"Timeline of Events Since Jussie Smollett Reported Attack"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftimeline-of-events-since-jussie-smollett-reported-attack%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1105393&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/jussie-smollet-640x335-1.jpg\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" \/><\/div>\n<p class=\"subheading\">CHICAGO (AP) \u2014 Jussie Smollett was convicted Thursday on charges that he lied to Chicago police when the former \u201cEmpire\u201d actor and R&amp;B singer reported being the victim of a racist and homophobic attack nearly three years ago. Some key moments in the story:<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">Jan. 22, 2019<\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"gmxrevmore\" class=\"H\"><\/figure>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 Smollett receives a racist and homophobic threatening letter at the studio in Chicago where \u201cEmpire\u201d is filmed. Police later say they believe Smollett sent the letter himself.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">Jan. 29, 2019<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 Jussie Smollett&nbsp;<a class href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/1eb82717d12743d4b86b519a6a902cfa\">tells police he was attacked<\/a>&nbsp;by two men in downtown Chicago at 2 a.m. The actor says the men used racist and homophobic slurs, wrapped a rope around his neck and poured an \u201cunknown substance\u201d on him. Police say Smollett, who is Black and gay, told detectives the attackers also yelled he was in \u201cMAGA country,\u201d an apparent reference to President Donald Trump\u2019s \u201cMake America Great Again\u201d campaign slogan that some Trump critics call racist and discriminatory.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">Jan. 30, 2019<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 Chicago police say they\u2019ve reviewed hundreds of hours of surveillance camera footage, including of Smollett walking downtown, but none shows the attack. Police obtain and&nbsp;<a class href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/499db3d5b9e84053aff9f391fe7f514a\">release images of two people&nbsp;<\/a>they want to question, calling them \u201cpersons of interest.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 Reports of an assault on Smollett draw outrage and support for him on social media from some politicians and celebrities.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">Jan. 31, 2019<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 Smollett\u2019s&nbsp;<a class href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/94ecdf14b6734015a5660fc96b1f0980\">family issues a statement&nbsp;<\/a>calling the attack a hate crime and disputing claims that he changed his story.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B3\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">Feb. 1, 2019<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 Smollett&nbsp;<a class href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/e3adb15519004bc482181518579a7cfa\">issues a statement<\/a>&nbsp;saying he\u2019s OK, that he\u2019s working with authorities and has been \u201c100 percent factual and consistent on every level.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">Feb. 2, 2019<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 Smollett opens&nbsp;<a class href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/a926a09b4af04ad19bb154468f53c9f7\">a concert in West Hollywood, California,<\/a>&nbsp;with an emotional speech, saying he had to play the show because he couldn\u2019t let his attackers win.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">Feb. 13, 2019<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B4\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 Chicago police pick up two brothers at Chicago\u2019s O\u2019Hare International Airport after police learn at least one worked on \u201cEmpire.\u201d Police question the men, who were returning to Chicago from Nigeria, and search their apartment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">Feb. 15, 2019<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 Chicago police&nbsp;<a class href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/3fa6965cdc104028a4c8879ca49689a6\">release the brothers without charges<\/a>&nbsp;after arresting them on suspicion of assault and holding them for nearly 48 hours. A police spokesman says they\u2019re no longer suspects.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">Feb. 16, 2019<\/p>\n<div class=\"Component-dfp-0-2-56\" readability=\"62.640336678537\">\n<p>&nbsp;\u2014 Police say the&nbsp;<a class href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/fd605bc2feb24817a775221a715a9385\">investigation has \u201cshifted\u201d&nbsp;<\/a>after detectives questioned the brothers, and request a follow-up interview with Smollett. His lawyers say he feels \u201cvictimized\u201d by reports that he played a role in the assault.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">Feb. 17, 2019<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 Chicago police reach out to Smollett\u2019s attorney saying they&nbsp;<a class href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/fe9c70e1cc324228838728c6806abae2\">still want to interview<\/a>&nbsp;him again because new information has \u201cshifted\u201d their investigation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">Feb. 19, 2019<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 Chicago\u2019s top prosecutor, Cook County State\u2019s Attorney Kim Foxx, recuses herself from the investigation. Her office says the decision was made \u201cout of an abundance of caution \u2026 to address potential questions of impartiality based upon familiarity with potential witnesses in the case.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">Feb. 20, 2019<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 Prosecutors&nbsp;<a class href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/jussie-smollett-north-america-us-news-ap-top-news-chicago-db3fb999d1a348329999989bae0fdafa\">charge Smollett with disorderly conduct<\/a>&nbsp;for filing a false police report about the alleged attack.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">Feb. 21, 2019<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 Chicago police say Smollett surrenders to face a felony charge of disorderly conduct, punishable by up to three years in prison.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014&nbsp;<a class href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/jussie-smollett-music-police-us-news-eddie-johnson-fac8abf87fa4431aaf0e0abce6f67c22\">Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson<\/a>&nbsp;says Smollett staged the attack because he was unhappy with his salary and wanted publicity. Investigators say they have a $3,500 check that Smollett used to pay the two brothers to help him.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">Feb. 22, 2019<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 \u201cEmpire\u201d producers say Smollett\u2019s&nbsp;<a class href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/1ab079e3da7b4fc59545685931593f76\">character to be removed<\/a>&nbsp;from the final two episodes of the season.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">March 7, 2019<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 A Cook County grand jury returns a 16-count indictment charging Smollett with falsely reporting an offense.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">March 26, 2019<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 Smollett\u2019s attorneys say charges alleging he lied to police&nbsp;<a class href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/1cb151c45b714a749ebadf8e50910a0d\">have been dropped.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">March 28, 2019<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 A city official says&nbsp;<a class href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/1cb151c45b714a749ebadf8e50910a0d\">Chicago is seeking $130,000<\/a>&nbsp;from Smollett to cover the cost of the investigation into his reported beating, which police say was staged.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">April 11, 2019<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 The city of&nbsp;<a class href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/1cb151c45b714a749ebadf8e50910a0d\">Chicago files a lawsuit<\/a>&nbsp;seeking to recoup the investigation costs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">April 15, 2019<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 The Cook County State\u2019s Attorney\u2019s Office releases&nbsp;<a class href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/b97de0dccd41456dbbecadfb22690e9b\">thousands of documents<\/a>&nbsp;in the Smollett case in response to open records requests, including a text from Foxx calling Smollett a \u201cwashed up celeb\u201d who was overcharged.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">April 23, 2019<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 The brothers who said they helped Smollett stage the attack&nbsp;<a class href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/142b91f06c4d45938ca95f4060818b92\">file a defamation lawsuit<\/a>&nbsp;against the actor\u2019s attorneys.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">Aug. 23, 2019<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 Judge&nbsp;<a class href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/ff3ce9b576b842cb8282222086e9a2aa\">names former U.S. Attorney Dan Webb&nbsp;<\/a>as special prosecutor to investigate why charges against Smollett were dropped.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">Feb. 11, 2020<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 Webb says&nbsp;<a class href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/ae6ecdc8dfa7b5af555071033b2b2a7b\">grand jury returns six-count indictment&nbsp;<\/a>against Smollett, accusing him of lying to police.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">Feb. 24, 2020<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 Smollett&nbsp;<a class href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/jussie-smollett-us-news-ap-top-news-chicago-celebrities-e663b2bfc823378b8b1adcdef3a8b0fd\">pleads not guilty to restored charges<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">Oct. 15, 2021<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 Judge James Linn&nbsp;<a class href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/arts-and-entertainment-chicago-jussie-smollett-470d84731a04d07187919efa2d962142\">denies a last-ditch effort to dismiss the criminal case<\/a>&nbsp;against Smollett and sets his trial for Nov. 29.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">Nov. 29, 2021<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014&nbsp;<a class href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/jussie-smollett-osundairo-trial-9b8decca50a228f67411b0816ad5a88c\">Smollett\u2019s trial starts<\/a>&nbsp;with jury selection and opening statements from lawyers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">Dec. 6, 2021<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 Smollett&nbsp;<a class href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/jussie-smollett-trial-resumes-chicago-3860a3e677b22f4da2233d333df7dabd\">testifies in his own defense<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">Dec. 8, 2021<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 The&nbsp;<a class href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/jussie-smollett-entertainment-lifestyle-arts-and-entertainment-crime-644f875e61b3ea9c7e8eefd1c227bf91\">jury begins deliberations&nbsp;<\/a>in Smollett\u2019s trial.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">Dec. 9, 2021<\/p>\n<p class=\"Component-root-0-2-61 Component-p-0-2-52\">\u2014 A jury&nbsp;<a class href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/jussie-smollett-entertainment-crime-race-and-ethnicity-hate-crimes-8a32dc8a1fc1b4a9972b0c08a75f2762\">convicts Smollett<\/a>&nbsp;on five counts of disorderly conduct, and acquits him on a sixth count.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>CHICAGO (AP) \u2014 Jussie Smollett was convicted Thursday on charges that he lied to Chicago police when the former \u201cEmpire\u201d actor and R&#038;B singer reported being the victim of a &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1105393","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1105393","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1105393"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1105393\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1105393"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1105393"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1105393"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}