jussie smollett
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On Surviving the Potential Damage Done by Jussie Smollett
I wanted to be wrong. I wanted to be wrong for the many survivors whose voices will likely not be taken seriously as a result of Jussie Smollett coming forward with his testimony. I wanted to be wrong for the gay child who was molested and afraid to speak out, hoping this story would give…
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Jussie Smollett’s ‘Jamal’ to Be Removed from Final 2 Episodes of Season 5, Empire Executive Producers Confirm
Jamal Lyon is tapping out for a bit. According to a statement provided to The Root via 20th Century Fox Television, Jussie Smollett’s role will be removed from the final two episodes of Empire’s 5th season. The statement was released on behalf of Lee Daniels, Danny Strong, Brett Mahoney, Brian Grazer, Sanaa Hamri, Francie Calfo…
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Official Statement Report: Jussie Smollett Feels 'Betrayed' by 'Organized Law Enforcement Spectacle'
Following Jussie Smollett’s arrest and the subsequent press conference by the Chicago Police Department led by Superintendent Eddie Johnson and Commander of Area Central Detectives Edward Wodnicki, we’re hearing from the Empire actor’s legal team. “Mr. Smollett is a young man of impeccable character and integrity who fiercely and solemnly maintains his innocence and feels…
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Jussie Smollett Arrested, Police Claim Actor Was Upset Over Salary as Motive for Apparent Staged Attack [Updated]
This is a mess. Less than a month since news surfaced of Jussie Smollett’s alleged homophobic and racist attack on Jan. 29, things have spiraled into an unexpected circus. Chicago Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi has confirmed Smollett was arrested and is currently in custody, Deadline reports. A bail hearing will be scheduled for Thursday…
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Jussie Smollett Charged With Felony by Chicago Police Department [Updated]
The Empire has fallen! Or, more like, the Jussie Smollett disaster that is reading like a Lee Daniels script continues to give us enough plot turns to make us sick. Chicago police, who are not the most credible outfit because of this, this, this, this, and this (that last one stretching back more than 50…
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It Looks Like Jussie Smollett's Case Is Headed to Grand Jury [Updated]
According to TMZ, Jussie Smollett’s case will go before a grand jury early next week. Law enforcement sources informed TMZ that a panel will hear the case, however it’s unclear as to who is facing charges or what those charges might entail. On Sunday, Anthony Guglielmi, the Chief Communications Officer for the Chicago PD, took…
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Report: New Evidence Suggests Jussie Smollett Was Allegedly An 'Active Participant' In Apparent Assault [Updated]
The Chicago Police department’s investigation into the alleged racist and homophobic attack on entertainer Jussie Smollett has shifted from identifying potential assailants to focusing on the Empire star himself—as police now reportedly believe Smollett paid two men to orchestrate the assault. According to CNN, the two men, brothers Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo, were arrested Wednesday…
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Jussie Smollett Is 'Pissed Off' at 'the Attackers and the Attacks'
For the first time since his reported homophobic and racist attack in January, Jussie Smollett is formally speaking out in a televised interview. Smollett recounted the incident to Robin Roberts on Good Morning America Thursday morning, a night which started when his creative director (who is also “like [his] uncle”) Frank Gaston picked him up…
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Separate, but Equally Dangerous: How the Jussie Smollett and Liam Neeson Controversies Reinforce Racist Narratives About Black Men
As the survivor of a violent crime, I can attest that the aftermath is, in some ways, the hardest part. That’s when the physical pain, perhaps previously dulled by adrenaline, really kicks in—along with regrets, doubts, fears about the future, and that lingering beast known as PTSD. Twelve years ago, after I was robbed and…