Jussie Smollett Pleads Not Guilty to Felony Charges, Stemming From Allegedly Staged Attack

Jussie Smollett, actor and singer from the TV series “Empire,” has pleaded not guilty to felony charges of disorderly conduct, Associated Press reports. Last week, on March 8, Smollett was indicted on 16 felony charges for allegedly filing false police reports claiming he was a victim of a hate crime attack in Chicago. Smollett’s lawyer Mark Geragos called the indictment “prosecutorial overkill” in a statement.

Smollett initially claimed that he was the victim of a hate crime on January 29, telling police that two men had accosted him, beat him, called him homophobic and racist slurs, put a rope around his neck, and poured bleach on him before running away. On February 13, brothers Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo were taken into custody and questioned in relation to the alleged attack. After police spoke with the Osundairos and inconsistencies arose in Smollett’s testimony, the actor was deemed a suspect in a separate case investigating his claims.

Smollet turned himself into authorities on February 21 and was released on bond later that day. Following the charges, “Empire” producers (including Lee Daniels) issued a statement announcing that Smollett would be cut from the final two episodes of the show’s next season in order to “avoid further disruption on set.”