CNN+ is diving into the Jussie Smollett case in a new documentary that will explore the events leading up to the actor’s conviction for lying to police about a 2019 attack.
“Chicago vs. Jussie Smollett” will be the first of the platform’s new FLASHDoc series, a documentary unit exploring timely and topical pop culture stories. Each documentary will be a standalone. Along with the announcement of project, CNN+ also released a trailer, which you can watch above.
Smollett, who is Black and gay, claimed he was assaulted on the streets of Chicago after making a Subway sandwich run in the early morning hours of Jan. 29, 2019. Earlier this month, he was convicted of lying to police about the attack. However, Smollett has maintained his innocence throughout the three-year ordeal. Though he was sentenced to five months in jail for the conviction, he has already been released pending his appeal.
The...
“Chicago vs. Jussie Smollett” will be the first of the platform’s new FLASHDoc series, a documentary unit exploring timely and topical pop culture stories. Each documentary will be a standalone. Along with the announcement of project, CNN+ also released a trailer, which you can watch above.
Smollett, who is Black and gay, claimed he was assaulted on the streets of Chicago after making a Subway sandwich run in the early morning hours of Jan. 29, 2019. Earlier this month, he was convicted of lying to police about the attack. However, Smollett has maintained his innocence throughout the three-year ordeal. Though he was sentenced to five months in jail for the conviction, he has already been released pending his appeal.
The...
- 3/31/2022
- by Katie Campione
- The Wrap
Jussie Smollett Was Denied Justice Because Chicago Police ‘Mishandled’ the Case, Actor’s Family Says
“There’s no verifiable evidence” against Jussie Smollett. That’s the claim the actor’s family made at a press briefing as they insisted Chicago police “mishandled” the case and Smollett was denied justice.
During the hour-long virtual gathering on Friday, the “Empire” star’s siblings — Jazz Smollett, Jocqui Smollett and Joel Smollett stated their case. The Smollett family and defense attorney Heather Widell met with a select group of Los Angeles-based Black journalists and insisted Jussie never lied about being assaulted.
“Our main focus right now is making sure that the media understands that the narrative that Jussie is lying, that he committed perjury in any way, or that his story fell apart is just patently not correct,” said attorney Widell. “We have independent witnesses who completely and unequivocally corroborate Jesse’s story of what he saw that night.”
However, Widell didn’t elaborate on the identities of those witnesses.
During the hour-long virtual gathering on Friday, the “Empire” star’s siblings — Jazz Smollett, Jocqui Smollett and Joel Smollett stated their case. The Smollett family and defense attorney Heather Widell met with a select group of Los Angeles-based Black journalists and insisted Jussie never lied about being assaulted.
“Our main focus right now is making sure that the media understands that the narrative that Jussie is lying, that he committed perjury in any way, or that his story fell apart is just patently not correct,” said attorney Widell. “We have independent witnesses who completely and unequivocally corroborate Jesse’s story of what he saw that night.”
However, Widell didn’t elaborate on the identities of those witnesses.
- 3/19/2022
- by Anita Bennett
- The Wrap
An Illinois appeals court sided with Jussie Smollett Wednesday and ruled the Empire actor recently convicted of staging a hate hoax in January 2019 should be released on bond pending the outcome of his appeal.
The surprise decision, which sprung Smollett from custody after he signed a $150,000 personal recognizance bond, followed less than a week after a Cook County judge sentenced him to five months in a Chicago jail for his conviction on five counts of disorderly conduct.
The ruling, signed by two of the appellate panel’s three justices, found...
The surprise decision, which sprung Smollett from custody after he signed a $150,000 personal recognizance bond, followed less than a week after a Cook County judge sentenced him to five months in a Chicago jail for his conviction on five counts of disorderly conduct.
The ruling, signed by two of the appellate panel’s three justices, found...
- 3/16/2022
- by Nancy Dillon
- Rollingstone.com
Update (3/15): Jussie Smollett has been moved to a new jail cell with a standard bed instead of one designed for restraining mental health patients, but his brother says he’s still worried.
“At this point, our biggest priority is getting our brother out of jail. He’s a strong individual, but it’s not right. It’s traumatic. It’s a mental marathon. We want to get him out,” brother Jocqui Smollett tells Rolling Stone on Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, Cook County sheriff’s officials confirmed Jussie Smollett...
“At this point, our biggest priority is getting our brother out of jail. He’s a strong individual, but it’s not right. It’s traumatic. It’s a mental marathon. We want to get him out,” brother Jocqui Smollett tells Rolling Stone on Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, Cook County sheriff’s officials confirmed Jussie Smollett...
- 3/16/2022
- by Nancy Dillon
- Rollingstone.com
Empire star Taraji P. Henson has come to the defense of her former castmate Jussie Smollett as the recently convicted actor is moved to the psychiatric ward at the Cook County jail. “Jussie is currently in a psych ward at the Cook County Jail,” said Jussie’s brother Jocqui Smollett in a video posted to the former Empire star’s Instagram. “What’s very concerning is that there was a note attached to his paperwork today and put on the front of his jail cell saying that he’s at risk of self-harm.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by @jussiesmollett Following his sentencing on Thursday for charges related to a hoax hate crime, Jussie told the courtroom that he would not kill himself while in custody. “I am not suicidal,” he said. “And if anything happens to me when I go in [jail], I did not do it to myself.
- 3/14/2022
- TV Insider
Authorities are apparently taking no chances on Jussie Smollett’s safety while incarcerated at the Cook County jail.
Reacting to Smollett’s outburst upon being sentenced Thursday for his conviction on charges related to drumming up a hate hoax. authorities have placed him in a psychiatric ward. That’s typically where high-profile prisoners are kept.
Smollett yelled to the courtroom upon his conviction that he was not suicidal and would not kill himself while in custody. The statement was seen as a nod to other famous and infamous inmates like Jeffrey Epstein and John McAfee, who both allegedly committed suicide while incarcerated.
“Jussie is currently in a psych ward at the Cook County Jail,” Jocqui Smollett said in a video posted to the Empire actor’s Instagram. “What’s very concerning is that there was a note attached to his paperwork today and put on the front of his jail...
Reacting to Smollett’s outburst upon being sentenced Thursday for his conviction on charges related to drumming up a hate hoax. authorities have placed him in a psychiatric ward. That’s typically where high-profile prisoners are kept.
Smollett yelled to the courtroom upon his conviction that he was not suicidal and would not kill himself while in custody. The statement was seen as a nod to other famous and infamous inmates like Jeffrey Epstein and John McAfee, who both allegedly committed suicide while incarcerated.
“Jussie is currently in a psych ward at the Cook County Jail,” Jocqui Smollett said in a video posted to the Empire actor’s Instagram. “What’s very concerning is that there was a note attached to his paperwork today and put on the front of his jail...
- 3/13/2022
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Jussie Smollett is receiving jail time followed by probation for staging an apparent hate crime against himself and filing a false police report. On Thursday, Cook County Judge James Linn sentenced the former "Empire" star to 150 days in county jail and 30 months of felony probation after a Chicago jury found him guilty of five counts of disorderly conduct, "People" confirmed. Additionally, the actor will have to pay $120,106 in restitution and a fine of $25,000 for his involvement in the January 2019 incident, per "People." On Jan. 29, 2019, Smollett claimed two men attacked him on his way home. The actor alleged that the masked men, since identified as Abimbola "Bola" and Olabinjo "Ola" Osundairo, called him racist and homophobic slurs during the attack, put a rope around his neck, and doused him with bleach. Per prosecutors, Smollett paid the brothers $3,500 to carry out the assault, "People" reported. During the sentencing on Thursday, Judge Linn told the actor,...
- 3/13/2022
- by Naledi Ushe
- Popsugar.com
Jussie Smollett's family is speaking out after the actor was the victim of a hate crime in Chicago on Jan. 29. The family's first statement since the attack, shared with Us Weekly on Jan. 31, read, "In the early hours of Tuesday morning, our beloved son and brother, Jussie, was the victim of a violence and unprovoked attack. We want to be clear - this was a racial and homophobic hate crime." It continued, "We are so grateful that God saw him through this cowardly attack alive. Jussie is a warrior whose light cannot be dimmed."
The family's statement continued, "These are inhumane acts of domestic terrorism and they should be treated as such. They will continue to occur until we hold each other accountable. Make no mistake, words matter. Hateful words lead to hateful actions. Radical love is the only solution, but passivity will be our downfall. We, as a family,...
The family's statement continued, "These are inhumane acts of domestic terrorism and they should be treated as such. They will continue to occur until we hold each other accountable. Make no mistake, words matter. Hateful words lead to hateful actions. Radical love is the only solution, but passivity will be our downfall. We, as a family,...
- 2/1/2019
- by Kelsey Garcia
- Popsugar.com
Ready for some family fun and food? Food Network announces the Smollett Eats TV show will premiere Saturday, August 20, 2016 at 12:30pm Et/Pt. The first season of Smollett Eats consists of six half-hour episodes.The Smollet Eats TV show stars: Jake Smollett, Jocqui Smollett, Jojo Smollett, Jussie Smollett, Jazz Smollett, and Jurnee Smollett-Bell. Empire's Jussie recently worked with Friday Night Lights alum Jurnee on Wgn America's Underground TV series.Read More…...
- 7/22/2016
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Food Network has ordered the Smollett Eats TV show from Triage Entertainment. The cooking and entertaining show features Jake Smollett, Jocqui Smollett, Jojo Smollett, Empire's Jussie Smollett, Jazz Smollett, and Friday Night Lights' Jurnee Smollett-Bell.Jussie and Jurnee recently worked together in the first season of the Underground TV series on Wgn America. The series, which tells the stories of the heroes of the Underground Railroad, was renewed for a second season, back in April.Read More…...
- 7/8/2016
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
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