The Latest on the attack reported by Jussie Smollett (all times local):
CHICAGO — The Latest on the attack reported by Jussie Smollett (all times local):
12:40 p.m.
An LGBTQ rights group is calling on anyone who feels let down by the allegations against « Empire » actor Jussie Smollett to channel their anger and disappointment into productive activism to fight hate crimes.
The Human Rights Campaign released a statement Thursday saying that a « rising tide of hate violence has had a devastating impact on Black people, LGBTQ people, religious minorities & those living at the intersections. »
The group says stopping such violence will require concrete action by lawmakers.
Smollett surrendered Thursday on felony disorderly conduct charges. Police say the black and gay actor hired two brothers to help him stage a Jan. 29 attack in downtown Chicago in which he said two masked men beat him while hurling racial slurs at him and looped a rope around his neck before fleeing.
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11:55 a.m.
A spokeswoman for Jussie Smollett’s attorneys says they may speak to reporters about the criminal case against the « Empire » actor after a bond hearing later Thursday.
Anne Kavanagh said defense lawyers Todd Pugh and Victor Henderson didn’t have any immediate reaction to the Thursday morning news conference in which police laid out the case against Smollett.
Police say the 36-year-old actor hired two brothers to help him stage a Jan. 29 attack against himself. Smollett, who is black and gay, reported that two masked men attacked him as he was walking home early that morning and made racist and homophobic comments while they beat him.
Smollett surrendered Thursday on a charge of felony disorderly conduct. His bond hearing is set for Thursday afternoon.
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11:40 p.m.
The head of the Chicago police force says that as a black man who has spent his entire life in the city and knows its racial divides, he doesn’t understand how anyone, especially a black man, could use the symbolism of a noose to make false accusations.
Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said Thursday while outlining the case against « Empire » actor Jussie Smollett that bogus police reports harm « every legitimate victim who’s in need of support » and every resident of the city.
Johnson noted that Chicago hosts one of the world’s largest gay pride parades each June and said the city and police are proud of that and « do not tolerate hate in this city. »
Smollett surrendered Thursday on a charge of felony disorderly conduct.
Police say the actor, who is black and gay, hired the two brothers who are also black to stage what the actor reported was a racist and homophobic attack against him early on Jan. 29 in downtown Chicago.
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11:15 a.m.
The studio behind the hit television show « Empire » says it is « evaluating the situation » regarding the charges against actor Jussie Smollett and is « considering our options. »
20th Century Fox Television and Fox Entertainment issued a statement Thursday saying, « We understand the seriousness of this matter and we respect the legal process. We are evaluating the situation and we are considering our options. »
Smollett surrendered Thursday on a charge of felony disorderly conduct.
Police say the actor, who is black and gay, hired the two brothers, who are also black, to stage what the actor reported was a racist and homophobic attack against him early on Jan. 29 in downtown Chicago. Johnson alleges that the reported attack was a « publicity stunt » that Smollett concocted because he was unhappy about his salary.
Police said the brothers aren’t considered suspects, but they didn’t elaborate.
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11 a.m.
Chicago’s police superintendent, Eddie Johnson, says investigators have phone records that show there were extensive communications between Smollett and two brothers before and after he says they helped the actor stage an attack against himself last month.
Johnson said at a news conference Thursday that the records show calls even while the brothers were in Nigeria after the staged attack early on Jan. 29.
Police say the brothers left on a trip to Nigeria right after the attack and were detained at the airport upon their return to Chicago on Feb. 13.
