BREAKING: All Charges Against Jussie Smollett Have Been Dropped

(Sun-Times)–The actor was charged with 16 counts of disorderly conduct for allegedly hiring two men to attack him in a staged hate-crime attack near his Streeterville home in January. The $10,000 posted for Smollett’s bond will be turned over to the City of Chicago Law Department.

The hearing lasted less than 5 minutes. Judge Steven G. Watkins sealed the case file.

Chicago police officials said Supt. Eddie Johnson was not briefed on the decision to drop charges and learned about it in the middle of a police academy graduation ceremony scheduled at the same time Foxx’s office announced it.

A CPD source said Johnson was “furious” and maintained the evidence against Smollett was “rock solid.”

After the hearing, Smollett said, “I want to thank the state of Illinois for attempting to do what is right.”

“I want to thank my family, friends, the incredible people of Chicago . . . who have prayed for me, who have supported me. . . . I want you to know that not for a moment was it in vain. I’ve been truthful and consistent on every single level since day one.”

Well what a fucking turn this has been. I don’t know how you go from being innocent to dead to rights guilty to now having all charges dropped. Someone has to be lying or corrupt and this is Chicago so you just never know. The evidence appeared to have piled up and was locked tight. Now just a few short weeks later the Prosecution drops charges and do so without briefing the Chief of Police. Obviously this story is far from over and Eddie Johnson will be giving his statement to the press later this afternoon. This whole thing stinks no matter who is at fault.