Smollett Forfeiting $10,000 To Chicago Was Crucial To Charges Being Dropped, State’s Attorney Spokesperson Says

Andrew Kerr on March 26, 2019

Actor Jussie Smollett’s willingness to fork over his $10,000 bond to the City of Chicago Law Department was a key factor behind prosecutors’ decision Tuesday to drop all charges accusing him of staging a fake hate-crime against himself.

“There would be no nolle without the forfeiture,” Kiera Ellis, a spokesperson for Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, told the Chicago Sun-Times.

The Sun-Times reported that “nolle” is a reference to the Latin phrase “nolle prosequi,” which means “to refuse to pursue.”

“Empire” actor Smollett, 36, faced 16 charges for allegedly filing a false police report claiming that two individuals wearing “Make America Great Again” hat attacked him on the street with a chemical substance and a noose.

The state’s attorney’s office said in a statement Tuesday it dropped the all charges “[a]fter reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smollett’s volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago.”

Judge Steven Watkins ordered Smollett’s court file to be sealed immediately after the charges were dropped, according to the Chicago Tribune.

First Assistant State’s Attorney Joseph Magats, the prosecutor who reportedly made the final decision to drop Smollett’s charges, said he stood behind the Chicago Police Department’s investigation.

“We stand behind the CPD investigation done in this case, we stand behind the approval of charges in this case,” Magats told the Sun-Times. “They did a fantastic job. The fact there was an alternative disposition in this case is not and should not be viewed as some kind of admission there was something wrong with the case, or something wrong with the investigation that the Chicago Police did.”

Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson, who said the case against Smollett was “rock solid,” was reportedly “furious” after learning of the decision to drop the actor’s charges during a police academy graduation ceremony.

The abrupt decision to drop all charges against Smollett was “a kick in the gut,” said Ed Wodnicki, the police commander who oversaw the investigation into the actor.

“We wasted time and effort on a reported serious, serious crime, to get to the point that it’s a lie? I want reimbursement. I’m a citizen in the city of Chicago. I want my money back,” Wodnicki said, noting that the $10,000 bond that Smollett forfeited “doesn’t come close” to the cost incurred to investigate the case.

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105 thoughts on “Smollett Forfeiting $10,000 To Chicago Was Crucial To Charges Being Dropped, State’s Attorney Spokesperson Says”

  1. It’s not over yet. I hope the Feds look into this case because he used the mail to send himself a hate letter filled with a suspicious white substance which was talcum powder! He should go to prison for at least 10 years. We can only hope that the FEDS do their job and do what the lawyers and judges in Chicago didn’t do. Finish the job and put the SOB in prison!!!!!

  2. It’s not over yet. I hope the Feds look into this case because he used the mail to send himself a hate letter filled with a suspicious white substance which was talcum powder! He should go to prison for at least 10 years. We can only hope that the FEDS do their job and do what the lawyers and judges in Chicago didn’t do. Finish the job and put the SOB in prison!!!!!

  3. It’s not over yet. I hope the Feds look into this case because he used the mail to send himself a hate letter filled with a suspicious white substance which was talcum powder! He should go to prison for at least 10 years. We can only hope that the FEDS do their job and do what the lawyers and judges in Chicago didn’t do. Finish the job and put the SOB in prison!!!!!

  4. When did he do any community service? Gee if I would ever pull a stunt like he did, I would hope that I would get the same treatment that he got, but I DOUBT IT because I’m a white conservative. This is no longer the country that I grew up in. Get rid of the DOUBLE STANDARD justice system that we have….NOW! MAGA!

  5. When did he do any community service? Gee if I would ever pull a stunt like he did, I would hope that I would get the same treatment that he got, but I DOUBT IT because I’m a white conservative. This is no longer the country that I grew up in. Get rid of the DOUBLE STANDARD justice system that we have….NOW! MAGA!

  6. When did he do any community service? Gee if I would ever pull a stunt like he did, I would hope that I would get the same treatment that he got, but I DOUBT IT because I’m a white conservative. This is no longer the country that I grew up in. Get rid of the DOUBLE STANDARD justice system that we have….NOW! MAGA!

  7. Chicago law enforcement totley pissed Crooked politicians and there crooked judges no wonder they are the crime capital of the US That goes to show how the Demorats operate

  8. Chicago law enforcement totley pissed Crooked politicians and there crooked judges no wonder they are the crime capital of the US That goes to show how the Demorats operate

  9. Chicago law enforcement totley pissed Crooked politicians and there crooked judges no wonder they are the crime capital of the US That goes to show how the Demorats operate

  10. 8-years of Obama’s IRS made it perfectly clear that the Progressives Dims/Libs feel that they SHOULD be able to live by a different set of rules than the Republicans/conservatives. Karma IS A BEE-ATCH!!!! Smollett will eventually get what he has coming to him.

  11. 8-years of Obama’s IRS made it perfectly clear that the Progressives Dims/Libs feel that they SHOULD be able to live by a different set of rules than the Republicans/conservatives. Karma IS A BEE-ATCH!!!! Smollett will eventually get what he has coming to him.

  12. 8-years of Obama’s IRS made it perfectly clear that the Progressives Dims/Libs feel that they SHOULD be able to live by a different set of rules than the Republicans/conservatives. Karma IS A BEE-ATCH!!!! Smollett will eventually get what he has coming to him.

  13. Translation: He BRIBED corrupt city of Chicago officials by volunteering to let them KEEP his $10,000 bond he had posted to give him a pass. How appropriate all this took place in the HOME of political corruption where Obama learned most All of HIS dirty tricks. There were 18 shootings that occurred in Chicago while the police were kept busy investigating this little WEASEL’S made-up “hate crime,” and he SHOULD be held accountable for wasting the police’s time with his BS LIES, not to MENTION the added RACIAL DIVISION he created with his little stunt–like we don’t have enough of THAT since OBAMA slithered onto the national stage!

    I am DISGUSTED with this LIAR, and even MORE disgusted at the Chicago officials whose ‘justice” is apparently FOR SALE to the highest bidder!

  14. Translation: He BRIBED corrupt city of Chicago officials by volunteering to let them KEEP his $10,000 bond he had posted to give him a pass. How appropriate all this took place in the HOME of political corruption where Obama learned most All of HIS dirty tricks. There were 18 shootings that occurred in Chicago while the police were kept busy investigating this little WEASEL’S made-up “hate crime,” and he SHOULD be held accountable for wasting the police’s time with his BS LIES, not to MENTION the added RACIAL DIVISION he created with his little stunt–like we don’t have enough of THAT since OBAMA slithered onto the national stage!

    I am DISGUSTED with this LIAR, and even MORE disgusted at the Chicago officials whose ‘justice” is apparently FOR SALE to the highest bidder!

  15. CyanPopcorn592

    Jussie Smollett Net Worth 2019. Jussie Smollett net worth is estimated at $500,000. Most of that money came from his salary for Empire. In 2016, he was earning $20,000 per episode.

  16. CyanPopcorn592

    Jussie Smollett Net Worth 2019. Jussie Smollett net worth is estimated at $500,000. Most of that money came from his salary for Empire. In 2016, he was earning $20,000 per episode.

  17. This has nothing to do with Smollett being friends with the Obama’s or the fact that his sister introduces Obama at speaking engagements or that Michelle Obama’s aide interceded with the prosecutor. Nothing to see here. Move along, move along.

  18. This has nothing to do with Smollett being friends with the Obama’s or the fact that his sister introduces Obama at speaking engagements or that Michelle Obama’s aide interceded with the prosecutor. Nothing to see here. Move along, move along.

  19. This has nothing to do with Smollett being friends with the Obama’s or the fact that his sister introduces Obama at speaking engagements or that Michelle Obama’s aide interceded with the prosecutor. Nothing to see here. Move along, move along.

  20. What’s even better is that the Mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel is trying his best to look enraged!!! HaHaHaHa!!! Emanuel ranks right up there with the best of the thieves in the Democrat party!!!

  21. WOW, You mean that I can go to Chicago, commit a crime, lie to police, conspire with others to commit a hate crime and all it will cost me is a $10000.00 bribe to walk away. Now that’s what I call a Democrat Criminal’s Paradise.

  22. WOW, You mean that I can go to Chicago, commit a crime, lie to police, conspire with others to commit a hate crime and all it will cost me is a $10000.00 bribe to walk away. Now that’s what I call a Democrat Criminal’s Paradise.

  23. WOW, You mean that I can go to Chicago, commit a crime, lie to police, conspire with others to commit a hate crime and all it will cost me is a $10000.00 bribe to walk away. Now that’s what I call a Democrat Criminal’s Paradise.

  24. WOW, You mean that I can go to Chicago, commit a crime, lie to police, conspire with others to commit a hate crime and all it will cost me is a $10000.00 bribe to walk away. Now that’s what I call a Democrat Criminal’s Paradise.

  25. Let me see if I have got this right? In other words, Smollett paid-off the Prosecutor’s Office to let him off…?!?!? Sounds like the famous/rich guy just got a free pass…!?!?!

  26. Let me see if I have got this right? In other words, Smollett paid-off the Prosecutor’s Office to let him off…?!?!? Sounds like the famous/rich guy just got a free pass…!?!?!

  27. Randolph H. Hemmerle

    $10,000.00 paid to keep from having top go to jail for at least three years, not a bad deal at all for Jussie Smollett, who just paid to escape justice, how many of the American people are allowed to do this? Who is behind this that ordered this deal to be consummated? Where does the (Jessie Smollett’s ten thousand) buck stop, who does the responsibility of this deal stop with?

  28. Randolph H. Hemmerle

    $10,000.00 paid to keep from having top go to jail for at least three years, not a bad deal at all for Jussie Smollett, who just paid to escape justice, how many of the American people are allowed to do this? Who is behind this that ordered this deal to be consummated? Where does the (Jessie Smollett’s ten thousand) buck stop, who does the responsibility of this deal stop with?

  29. Apparently there is one law for the liberals and another law for the conservatives in the Chicago area but than we have known that for a good while now….

  30. Apparently there is one law for the liberals and another law for the conservatives in the Chicago area but than we have known that for a good while now….

  31. Apparently there is one law for the liberals and another for the conservatives, but than we have known that for a good while, especially in the Chicago area…

  32. Apparently there is one law for the liberals and another for the conservatives, but than we have known that for a good while, especially in the Chicago area…

  33. Apparently there is one law for the liberals and another for the conservatives, but than we have known that for a good while, especially in the Chicago area…

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