Jussie Smollett has officially been slapped with a lawsuit by the city of Chicago. The city seeks to recoup the cost of the police investigation into the alleged hate crime attack he reported back in January.
Smollett was accused of staging the attack and claimed he was beaten by two men who shouted racial and homophobic slurs at the actor on the street, allegedly tying a rope around his neck and splashing bleach in his face. After a short investigation and the arrest of a pair of suspects, the frame of the investigation changed from Smollett being a victim to being a suspect that filed a false report according to police.
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The Empire actor was then indicted on charges of filing false statements to police and later arrested. But, in a surprising turn, the charges were dropped on March 26 and Smollett only forfeited his bond while maintaining his innocence.
For Chicago and the city’s police department, they felt that Smollett still owed for the report and have dropped the lawsuit. According to the city’s records, 1,836 hours of overtime were expended related to Smollett’s case, with costs reaching as high as $130,106.15.
According to Variety, the city is allowed to seek penalties and damages up to three times the figure provided, meaning the suit could result in a ruling for $390,000 if Smollett is found liable. The outlet adds that the city will also seek fees and costs related to attorneys used for the case. They will also seek an additional $1,000 for each false statement made to the police according to Variety.
The complaint was filed on Thursday by the city and details many of the allegations police have publicly claimed about Smollett and the attack, including that the actor allegedly spied out the location for the attack in what TMZ refers to as a “dry run” two days before the actual attack. Police also allege that Smollett “scripted” the attack from start to finish and “intentionally misled officers into believing his attackers were white.”
Representatives for the actor stated last week that Smollett would not be “intimidated” by Chicago’s demands for the costs of the investigation.
“We are in receipt of your March 28. 2019 letter, sent two days after all criminal charges against Mr. Smollett were dismissed, demanding that Mr. Smollett pay to the City of Chicago $130,106.15 for ‘repayment of investigation costs’ within seven (7) days,” the response to Chicago’s initial push for the repayment said. “Your letter constitutes part of a course of conduct intended to harass and irreparably injure Mr. Smollett.
Since this response, the actor has been photographed out running errands and shopping, and earlier this week during a vacation in Hawaii.
The star is also aware that he is still not out of the woods regarding federal charges.
