Let me get this right. Jussie Smollett doesn’t have any consequences for staging a hate crime that did very little damage to himself, yet has been dragging the nation through emotional hoops since he cried wolf on January 29, 2019?
Within weeks of the alleged attack on Smollett, Chicago police detectives gathered physical evidence, witness accounts, and inconsistencies in the original police report that led them to Mr. Smollett as the prime suspect in his own attack. That evidence – yes, evidence – was presented to a Grand Jury on March 8 and deemed strong enough to warrant indictments. Smollett was charged with 16 felony counts of disorderly conduct. Bail was set at $100,000 for which the actor put up $10,000 to gain his temporary freedom as he awaited trial.
Then suddenly, reports come out that Mr. Smollett is free to go, despite all the evidence and indictments. On March 16, all charges were dropped, and instead of the usual publicly available documents, his record was sealed, making it impossible for anyone to see their contents. Does that seem a bit odd? Well, many familiar with the law and prosecutorial procedure seem to think so. After such a publicly shared attack, aftermath, investigation, arrest, and initial trial, how can the Chicago State’s Attorney’s Office expect to simply say nevermind?
The announcement was made in a press conference, apparently without collaborating with the Chicago police department, the ones who started the case. In fact, both the police chief and the mayor of Chicago were dumbfounded and amazed at how such a move was made without their knowledge or input. Very unusual to say the least, and shady and mishandled to say the most.
Immediately following the dismissal, stories began leaking about Mr. Smollett’s connection to high level political powerhouses related to the Obamas, implying that his celebrity relationships may have helped him beat the wrap. Yet, even without the celebrity special treatment, this whole matter reeks of backroom meetings and greasy palms located well beyond the scope of police work. And then there’s State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, who rightly recused herself from the case; except, by recusal she meant she would be manipulating the case privately behind closed doors rather than publicly.
Perhaps the only way to clear up the assumptions of foul play is for Mr. Smollett’s team to come forward or for the Grand Jury’s decision for trial to stand. Either way, doubts have been cast on Mr. Smollett’s integrity, since he was shielded from putting everything out into the light. His case was sealed to protect his privacy, image, and possible guilt. This elitist and unfair special treatment is, of course, an option and privilege everyday Chicagoans do not enjoy.
Contrary to the high profile stories demanding that we believe our nation is “slave days” bigoted, this story of equality in not being held accountable is refreshing. Mr. Smollett is an openly gay African American – a minority by any standard – who is enjoying the privilege that many claim belong exclusively to the plain white members of our society. Well, I guess privilege by any other color would taste as sweet.
In a non-racial, non-homophobic, non-misogynist way, calls have been made for a Special Prosecutor to step in and investigate the possible impropriety in the handling of this case. It now appears that what we once thought was a true hate crime is proving to be a callous hoax for which there must be consequences. We can only hope the prevailing sentiment to focus this new investigation will be truth and jus-tice, not Jus-sie.
#notAfraidToThink #notSheeple #specialTreatment #reUnifyOurCountry
EmmSix 