Empire Actor, Jussie Smollett finally released on a $100,000 bail, as Judge orders him to surrender his Passport, and also will not be having any contact with his alleged attackers of Abel and Ola or even any members of their family.
This is coming hours after the Empire actor was taken into custody by the Chicago Police Department for allegedly planning his own attack with the Nigerian brothers over poor salary from the Empire productions.
Chicago Superintendent of Police, Eddie T. Johnson in a Press conference on Thursday, expressed disgust towards the Empire actor, saying he allegedly staged a hoax attack and a “publicity stunt…to promote his career.” he said:
“Jussie Smollett took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career,” a visibly angry Johnson said. “I am left hanging my head asking ‘why?’. Why would anyone, especially an African-American man, use the symbolism of a noose to make false accusations? … How can an individual who’s been embraced by the city of Chicago turn around and slap everyone in the city in the face with these false claims?”
According to ABC news, the Empire actor appeared before Cook County Circuit Court Judge John Fitzgerald Lyke, Jr., after the felony disorderly conduct charge against him, and as expected he repeatedly insisted that the attack was real and that he was merely a victim, not a perpetrator, as he faces up to three years in prison.
ABC also reported that when first assistant state attorney Risa Lanier told Judge Lyke that the Empire actor had picked up two brothers who authorities say carried out the staged attack on him at his direction and showed them the location of where he wanted to be attacked, Smollett shook his head in disagreement.
The tense courtroom appearance followed on the heels of a morning press conference at which a visibly angry Johnson castigated the actor for betraying his race and his city with such an incendiary false claim.
After much deliberation, the judge then ordered pre-trial monitoring of the Empire actor and ordered him to stay away from the two brothers he allegedly conspired with to stage the hoax attack, according to police.
Smollett’s next court appearance is scheduled for March 14.
Also TMZ reported that Jussie told the police, during his arrest, that he has a drug problem, one for which he’s never been treated.
The report indicated that this new revelation could become relevant later in the case, as cops say Jussie bought ecstasy from Abel, and if convicted, a drug issue could be a mitigating factor that gets his sentenced reduced.
He was later released from custody into a mob of reporters, security and police officers, as he rushed into a waiting black SUV and quickly left the courthouse.