'This is a whitewash of justice'

[Dakota731]

ONe of his lawyers was Michael Jackson’s attorney so that’s says a lot. Wonder who’s paying his legal bills - follow the money and you can find out what his motive was. Also, heard today that prosecutor Foxx was a friend of Smolletts sister too so a lot of fishy stuff going on here.

 

[Mermaid02]

He got away with something that you or I wouldn't have. Important people called in favors. Not only did it go away, it is sealed. He gets to keep spewing his work of fiction- wonder when the movie will come out. He was charged with SIXTEEN FELONIES people. Wrap your brain around that.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Lucky for him he has friends in high places.

 

[dclpluto]

He got away with something that you or I wouldn't have. Important people called in favors. Not only did it go away, it is sealed. He gets to keep spewing his work of fiction- wonder when the movie will come out. He was charged with SIXTEEN FELONIES people. Wrap your brain around that.

Just read that Chicago let’s thousands of people off without them ever going to trial or serving time in jail or prison. No wonder Chicago is so bad. Maybe if they charge some people with the minor crimes they will know what prison or jail is like and they wouldn’t do the major crimes later in life.a lot still will. It could cut out some of Chicago’s major crimes.

 

[dclpluto]

Lucky for him he has friends in high places.

Could it be someone from Chicago who use to be very very high up. Can’t name any names here. Or are we thinking someone like Oprah? Doubt it was any of them two but Yes someone might of pulled some strings. Or is it that Chicago let’s thousands of people go every year?

 

[Hikergirl]

What I don't get is how can charges be dismissed yet they say he did his community service and they keep his bond.
I understand that people get charges dismissed all the time, and that can even result in records being sealed but I assume when their charges are dismissed that is the end of it, they get whatever bond/bail was posted back since they didn't go to trial, and they aren't "sentenced" to any kind of punishment like probation or community service.
Isn't it when you plea that you arrange for some alternative sentence, usually lesser than what you would have gotten had to went to trial and been found guilty?
Something about this just doesn't seem on the up and up, but we are talking about Chicago.

 

[nd5056]

Could it be someone from Chicago who use to be very very high up. Can’t name any names here. Or are we thinking someone like Oprah? Doubt it was any of them two but Yes someone might of pulled some strings. Or is it that Chicago let’s thousands of people go every year?

"...Foxx recused herself from the case in February, with documents obtained earlier this month via Freedom of Information Act request showing that Foxx had asked Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson to turn the investigation over to the FBI. The documents also showed correspondence between Foxx, an unknown person and Tina Tchen, a one-time assistant to former President Barack Obama and Chief of Staff to Michelle Obama...."

 

[RedAngie]

I just listened to a podcast with a member of Smollett's legal team. He was not at liberty to discuss specifics but my interpretation was that there may have been blunders made by law enforcement that would be bad optics for Chicago PD if the case were to have gone to court. That's my opinion on what little the attorney was saying, I may have it all wrong, and he may not have been truthful. Now seeing what nd5056 posted above I think this is a beast with many heads.

The police chief is mad as hell over the dropped charges. I'm thinking any such blunders would be bad optics toward the prosecutor and D.A.'s office, rather than the police, if revealed in court. Rather than risk that embarrassment, they made a deal to make the case disappear.

 

[JaxDad]

ONe of his lawyers was Michael Jackson’s attorney so that’s says a lot. Wonder who’s paying his legal bills - follow the money and you can find out what his motive was. Also, heard today that prosecutor Foxx was a friend of Smolletts sister too so a lot of fishy stuff going on here.

The really weird thing is that Mr. Smollett also ended up with an acceptance letter to USC out of the deal.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Black privilege

ONE black man had the system work in his favor compared to how many white men????

All this pearl clutching and outrage over a possible lie. It's a shame that some folks do not react the same way when there is a death.

I wonder when the masses will demand that the old bat that lied about Emmett Till is tossed into
jail.

 

[hereyago]

.

Black privilege

Really? Wow.

More like corrupt people in Chi town.

 

[starry_solo]

Here's the thing....the grand jury is the one that indicted him. If the grand jury works the same way in IL that it works in CA, it was the prosecutors (not the police) that take cases to grand juries....

Very strange indeed but they should have at least bargained for a "no contest" plea on something, rather than dropping all charges.

 

[mom2rtk]

Here's the thing....the grand jury is the one that indicted him. If the grand jury works the same way in IL that it works in CA, it was the prosecutors (not the police) that take cases to grand juries....

Very strange indeed but they should have at least bargained for a "no contest" plea on something, rather than dropping all charges.

He probably needed his record to be clean to pursue this case with his employer.

 

[pigletliz]

"...Foxx recused herself from the case in February, with documents obtained earlier this month via Freedom of Information Act request showing that Foxx had asked Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson to turn the investigation over to the FBI. The documents also showed correspondence between Foxx, an unknown person and Tina Tchen, a one-time assistant to former President Barack Obama and Chief of Staff to Michelle Obama...."

I am guessing the former President and First Lady have had lots of assistants. Surely they aren't implying that the Former President and First Lady involved themselves in the case? To me, "one-time" means "no longer".

Is it possible that people thought there may be some issues with the Chicago PD and wanted it investigated independently? They should have kept their personal opinions out of it and stuck to the facts. If he was guilty, they should have let the evidence play out, rather than making indignant press conferences. So unprofessional!

 

[ronandannette]

The police chief is mad as hell over the dropped charges. I'm thinking any such blunders would be bad optics toward the prosecutor and D.A.'s office, rather than the police, if revealed in court. Rather than risk that embarrassment, they made a deal to make the case disappear.

Yep, the police chief seemed more than willing for his force to take their chances in a prosecution.

The really weird thing is that Mr. Smollett also ended up with an acceptance letter to USC out of the deal.

I hear he's quite the rower.

I don’t disagree with you. I don’t make the news, I just report it

Don't sell yourself short - it'll probably still happen.

 

[Micca]

I'm thinking any such blunders would be bad optics toward the prosecutor and D.A.'s office, rather than the police, if revealed in court

You're right Red, that makes more sense.

 

[nd5056]

I am guessing the former President and First Lady have had lots of assistants. Surely they aren't implying that the Former President and First Lady involved themselves in the case? To me, "one-time" means "no longer".
...

Absolutely not! But, knowing that once she was the Director of the Office of Public Liaison, she has quite an experience dealing with crazy situations.

 

[lifesavacation]

Deals like this are made every day in the criminal justice system. The most shocking part of the charges getting dropped is that Smollett is Afrcan American. Usually it’s an affluent white person who gets off with a slap on the wrist.

 

[mom2rtk]

I think the high profile celebrities in the college cheating scandal should be nervous. The public won't take kindly to more celebrities getting off easy after this incident.

 

[low-key]

I seen Empire today decided he is out of the series. I like his character, I never miss an episode. Funny thing is I bet if his lawyer would of just handled it and admitted guilt, and he humbled himself " I made a cray mistake but you cant fool Chicago Finest " Empire would have let him come back, everyone is about 2nd chances , but he made himself toxic