All criminal charges were dropped against Jussie Smollett earlier this week, but that doesn’t mean the drama is over.
While the Chicago Police Superintendent and the Chicago Mayor have been outspoken about their disappointment in the prosecution’s decision to drop the case, the Empire star’s lawyer thinks they are out to ruin his name.
In fact, his lawyer Patricia Brown Holmes released a statement to Entertainment Tonight and said they’re creating a “smear campaign” against him.
“We are disappointed the local authorities have continued their campaign against Jussie Smollett after the charges against him have been dropped. The facts are clear,” she said.
“The Assistant State’s Attorney appeared in court and dismissed the charges. Mr. Smollett forfeited his bond.”
She continued, “The case is closed. No public official has the right to violate Mr. Smollett’s due process rights. Mr. Smollett, like every citizen, is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”
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Holmes also said she doesn’t believe Smollett has been viewed as innocent until proven guilty.
“Mr. Smollett is entitled to the same Constitutional protections as any citizen charged by the government with a crime — including the right to speak freely about his innocence, the right to be viewed as innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, and the right to hold the State to its burden of proving him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. None of that has occurred in this case,” she said.
To up the drama even further, President Trump decided to weigh in on the case and tweeted his disappointment.
“FBI & DOJ to review the outrageous Jussie Smollett case in Chicago. It is an embarrassment to our Nation!” he wrote.
While the charges regarding the attack have been dropped by the city of Chicago, the FBI is still investigating the hate mail incident.
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