• Jussie Smollett now labeled a suspect in a bizarre twist to the investigation.
• Smollett claimed that he was beaten by two men who wrapped a noose around his neck.
• Police located the two men and confirmed that they were brothers.
• According to the two brothers, Smollett paid them to ‘stage the attack.’
• The Empire star now faces time behind bars for allegedly lying to police.
• He is accused of filing a false police report, a class four felony.
Empire star Jussie Smollett could be behind bars soon for allegedly filing a false report, police sources told yc.news Wednesday night.
Chicago police have named “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett as a suspect in a criminal investigation, three weeks after he reported that he was the victim of a hate crime.
Detectives are presenting evidence to a grand jury, which is expected to determine whether to indict Smollett on a charge of filing a false police report.
“Jussie Smollett is now officially classified as a suspect in a criminal investigation by #ChicagoPolice for filing a false police report (Class 4 felony),” spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said. “Detectives are currently presenting evidence before a Cook County Grand Jury.”
This is a developing story.
Smollett reported in January that he was attacked by two masked criminals who hurled racist and homophobic slurs at him, beat him and looped a rope around his neck in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood.
We broke the story, Smollett allegedly snatched props from a play he performed in on the night prior to the alleged attack.
An unknown person who lived in Smollett’s building or was visiting a resident of the building reported seeing the three men together in an elevator in the building on the night in question, Guglielmi said.
The tip was not supported by video evidence obtained by detectives, Guglielmi tweeted Tuesday evening.
Hours earlier, the brothers and their lawyer were seen at the Leighton Criminal Court Building. The attorney was seen leaving about 3:45 p.m. without comment. Chicago police told ABC News that the brothers met with prosecutors and police but did not testify before a grand jury Tuesday.