After more than two years of debates, jokes and legal manuevering, actor Jussie Smollett is finally going to trial for allegedly staging a fake mugging in Chicago. This comes after the judge declined the actor’s defense attorney’s latest motion to dismiss the case, the Associated Press reports.
Smollett, who rocketed to fame via the blockbuster weekly drama “Empire,” has been indicted on several felonies for allegedly filing a false police report that stated he was beaten up, called homophobic and racial slurs, had bleach poured on him and he suffered indignities by two MAGA hat-wearing White men on Jan. 29. 2019.
The 39-year-old even recounted his story on “Good Morning America” in February 2019, not long before the Chicago Police Department filed charges against Smollett for allegedly making the whole thing up. Investigators accused Smollett of manufacturing the story in order to raise his profile and therefore his salary.
Smollett’s attorney countered by claiming his rights were being violated since he has already performed community service and given up a $10,000 bond via a deal struck with Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx to drop the charges.
“A deal is a deal. That’s ancient principle,” attorney Nenye Uche told the AP.
However, the case was resuscitated in early 2020 when a specially-appointed prosecutor charged Smollett with disorderly conduct for allegedly false-filing a police report.
Jury selection in the trial is scheduled to begin on Nov. 29, 2021.
