Smollett, who is black and openly gay and plays a gay character on the Fox network hip-hop drama « Empire, » was previously charged in a criminal complaint with lying to police.
CHICAGO, March 8 – A grand jury in Chicago has returned a 16-count felony indictment against television actor Jussie Smollett, accusing him of filing a false police report of being the victim of a hate-crime assault, local media reported on Friday, citing court records.