Police: Staged attack meant to further actor’s career
CHICAGO — “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett staged a racist, anti-gay attack on himself because he was unhappy about his salary and wanted to promote his career, Chicago’s police superintendent said Thursday.
Before the attack, Smollett also sent a letter that threatened him to the studio in Chicago where “Empire” is shot, Superintendent Eddie Johnson said.
Smollett, who is black and gay, turned himself in Thursday to face accusations that he filed a false police report last month when he told authorities he was attacked in downtown Chicago by two men who hurled racist and anti-gay slurs and looped a rope around his neck, police said.
The actor “took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his
career,” Johnson told reporters at a news conference.
“This publicity stunt was a scar that Chicago didn’t earn and certainly didn’t deserve,” he added.
Prosecutors said Smollett gave detailed instructions to two brothers who helped him stage the attack, including giving them specific slurs to yell and telling
them to shout “MAGA country” and to drape a rope around his neck.
Smollett even pointed out to the men a specific surveillance camera that he thought would capture footage of the beating, Assistant State’s Attorney Risa Lanier told a news conference. Police say the camera was pointed another way.