Not long ago, Jussie Smollett, one of the stars of the Fox television show “Empire,” was attacked in Chicago by two people yelling racial and homophobic slurs and wrapped a rope around his neck. Police said they were investigating the incident as “a possible hate crime.”
The two men who have since been arrested in connection with the attack on Smollett are Olabinjo Osundairo and Abimbola Osundairo, according to Gloria Schmidt, the attorney for the two brothers. The brothers were arrested Wednesday but released without charges Friday after Chicago police cited the discovery of “new evidence.”
In light of the new evidence, it seems that the “Empire” actor allegedly paid the two brothers $3,500 to stage an assault against him, going so far as to rehearse the attack with them, police sources told CBS Chicago.
A law enforcement official briefed on the investigation told ABC News that Smollett staged the attack because he was upset a threatening letter he received a week prior did not get enough attention.
Smollett denies playing a role in his attack, according to a statement from his attorneys, and police are trying to talk to Smollett again, but the actor’s reps say any further talks with police will not take place.
In a statement to CNN, Smollett’s attorneys said: “As a victim of a hate crime who has cooperated with the police investigation, Jussie Smollett is angered and devastated by recent reports that the perpetrators are individuals he is familiar with. He has now been further victimized by claims attributed to these alleged perpetrators that Jussie played a role in his own attack. Nothing is further from the truth and anyone claiming otherwise is lying.”
By: Maytinee Kramer
