Jussie Smollett, itinangging palabas lang ang pag-atake sa kanya

NAGLABAS ng pahayag ang mga abogado ng Empire actor na si Jussie Smollett nitong Sabado na itinatangging palabas lamang ni Jussie ang pag-atake sa kanya nitong Enero 29, at sinabi ng mga ito na he is “angered” at “devastated” sa development sa kaso, ulat ng Variety.

Nais ng Chicago police na kapanayamin si Jussie, nang makatuklas ang mga ito ng bagong ebidensiya mula sa magkapatid na Nigerian na sumailalim sa imbestigasyon, na nakalaya na nitong Biyernes ng gabi.

Iniulat ng mga local media outlets na umamin ang magkapatid sa pulisya na binayaran sila ni Jussie para gawin ang pag-atake.

Nag-isyu ang kinatawan ng pulisya na si Anthony Guglielmi ng pahayag nitong Sabado na ang bagong ebidensiya “shifted the trajectory of the investigation.”

Itinanggi naman ng mga abogado ni Jussie ang umano’y pagkakasangkot niya rito, at sinabing “Nothing is further from the truth and anyone claiming otherwise is lying.”

Sumugod sa pulisya si Jussie noong Jan. 29 makaraan siyang atakehin ng dalawang lalaki, tapunan ng “bleach”, at sakalin ng tali sa kanyang leeg, makaraang sabihan ng “racial and homophobic slurs”. Sinuyod ng mga pulis ang daan-daang surveillance video na nakunan sa lugar para makahanap ng clue sa kaso, at nitong ngang Miyerkules ay dinakma nila ang magkapatid na Nigerian.

Sa pahayag, inilahad ng mga abogado ni Jussie na isa sa mga lalaki ay personal trainer ng aktor.

“It is impossible to believe that this person could have played a role in the crime against Jussie or would falsely claim Jussie’s complicity,” lahad nina Victor P. Henderson at Todd S. Pugh.

Dagdag pa ng mga ito, si Jussie ay “victim of a hate crime,” at patuloy siyang makikipagtulungan sa mga imbestigador.

“He has now been further victimized by claims attributed to these alleged perpetrators that Jussie played a role in his own attack,” anang mga abogado. Ang buong pahayag:

“As a victim of a hate crime who has cooperated with the police investigation, Jussie Smollett is angered and devastated by recent reports that the perpetrators are individuals he is familiar with. He has now been further victimized by claims attributed to these alleged perpetrators that Jussie played a role in his own attack. Nothing is further from the truth and anyone claiming otherwise is lying.

“One of these purported suspects was Jussie’s personal trainer who he hired to ready him physically for a music video. It is impossible to believe that this person could have played a role in the crime against Jussie or would falsely claim Jussie’s complicity.

“Jussie and his attorneys anticipate being further updated by the Chicago Police Department on the status of the investigation and will continue to cooperate. At the present time, Jussie and his attorneys have no inclination to respond to ‘unnamed’ sources inside of the investigation, but will continue discussions through official channels.”