Embattled Empire actor Jussie Smollett appeared at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse in Chicago earlier this morning where, as expected, he entered a “not guilty” plea to all 16 felony counts of disorderly conduct against him.
After Smollett pleaded not guilty, Cook County Judge Steven Watkins granted him permission to travel to New York and California to consult with his attorneys, if he provides 48 hours notice to the court’s pretrial services office. Smollett is free on bail, and Watkins admonished the actor to be present an on-time for all of his upcoming court dates.
Meanwhile, Smollett’s lawyer Mark Geragos has been on the media circuit proclaiming his client’s innocence. Last week, he told Anderson Cooper, without any sense of irony, that the actor is a victim of a “media gang bang.”
“What is happening here is, frankly, a media gang bang of this guy of unprecedented proportions,” Geragos said.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
“This is an outrage,” he continued. “I defy anybody to find any indictment anywhere where somebody has brought 16 counts for being a victim of a hate crime, basically.”
The producers of Empire have already deleted Smollett’s scenes from the remainder of the season, and rumors abound that his role will be recast. Should a jury convict him, the actor will also face lengthy jail time for his crime.
Smollett’s next court hearing is scheduled for April 17.
Related: Forget the hate crime, Jussie Smollett’s lawyer now says the actor is the victim of a “gang bang”
RIGay
Another graduate of the Rudy Gulianni School of Law and Public Speaking…
iamru2
Be a man Smollet and admit your guilt , ask for forgiveness, that can only help you at this point. Americans are a very forgiving people and believe in 2nd and 3 rd chances
Brian
It’s kind of amazing that he decided to continue going with this being a real attack, when it couldn’t be more obvious that it never happened.
Polaro
Well, it did happen, it was just faked.
Brian
What was faked can hardly be called an attack. At most it was a scuffle.
iamru2
Doesn’t even meet the bitch slap level!
bowlingbutch
Jussie apparently needs attention. How sad that he has thrown away such a promising career. He certainly won’t need those bodyguards after this is over nor will he be able to afford them. It is so sad that his greed for more money, when he was making an exorbitant amount, has led him to where he is today. And where he will be soon which is either in jail or sleeping on a sibling’s sofa
Brian
He is totally getting jail time for this. The Chicago PD was extremely vocal about the number of hours it was dedicating to the case. Between the resources used for the investigation, the arrogance to continue to play the victim after he was stone cold busted, the thousands of hours and god knows how much money that now has to be spent on this trial and the negative effect her had on race and LGBT relations, everyone is going to want to make an example of him
bobnla
The police have an open and shut case. Chief Ernie Johnson was superb In delivering an impassioned speech summarizing the case against Smollett, the cost in time and money for the CPD, the embarrassment to the people of Chicago, the damage to race relations as well as an insult to those victims of hate crimes. Shame on attorney Mark Geragos for calling this situation a ‘gang bang’. Federal charges for mail fraud are likely because of the fake hate letter Smollett prepared prior to the attack, an attention-getting effort to promote his career, which carries severe penalties. Jussie should plead ‘no contest’, take his lumps, deliver a sincere apology and ask for leniency.
talktalktalk
perfectly put.
WindsorOntario
He’s gay and has a Jewish father and a black mother. If he does end up going to prison, he’ll have to be in administrative housing (segregation). Those gangs will kill him otherwise.
jsmnyny24
Just plead guilty. I am still trying to get Geragos’s “media orgy” comment out of my head.
DuMaurier
I still think it’ll end in a plea deal. That can happen when the jury’s deliberating, if it comes to that (but I doubt it’ll go that far)
Jack Meoff
Just think of all the great prison sex he’ll get while he’s in there. Oh wait is it to soon for jokes yet?
Bromancer7
Whatever happened to “innocent until proven guilty”? Y’all already have him tried and convicted in your minds. How very enlightened and noble of you.
DCguy
It’s interesting, Trump minion Jacob Wohl just got caught lying and filing a false police report. He claimed he got a death threat, but he sent it to himself from a false account he created.
Even though he also filed a false report, no arrest. Why not?
Jussie_Racist_Clown
Geragos told him to double down with a not guilty plea because the evidence is so overwhelming against him. Geragos is going for a technical acquittal, you remember, if the glove don’t fit you must acquit. That kind of thing. The defense will say all the evidence is circumstantial and will try to get him off. If he admits it, it’s jail time and fines and all that. The federal charges are pending. That’s big-time jail time if they can make the case. Meanwhile Justin is going broke fast trying to save his own sorry azz. Too bad to watch him commit slow suicide in public like this.
talktalktalk
this guy is a total clown., He was being extremely well paid for a relatively little-known cable TV show, and am sure he had a great life. Why throw it all away in this ridiculous fashion? I hope they throw the book at him. The impassioned speech by the Chicago police chief about the damage Smollett tried to do to the city was quite superb and said it all. Still, maybe he will enjoy prison…..