Johnson came to an immediate conclusion that Smollett was untruthful about being the victim of a hate crime.
“I have to be honest, when I first saw the video of him in his apartment with the noose around his neck I was concerned because I don’t think there’s many Black people in America with a noose around their neck and wouldn’t immediately take it off,” said Johnson.
“And the way he was so nonchalant handling it gave me cause for concern. But I would not let the police department make him an offender until the evidence just got to be so overwhelming.
“To use a symbol like a noose to promote yourself is just unconscionable to me.”
Johnson added that another thing that made him feel queasy about Smollett’s account, was the infamous Subway tuna sandwich.
“He comes back, gets attacked in a supposed hate crime, and during all this scuffle, they poured bleach on him, when he got up and went into his apartment building. He got up and still had that Subway sandwich with him. That doesn’t happen,” Johnson said.
“When people get attacked like that, whatever belongings they have out there, they usually leave it until the police can go back with them because they’re afraid,” Johnson continued.
“This guy had the sandwich in his hand and it had never been touched. That was a real tipping point to us that something was amiss,” he said.
