News Opinons

Judge Orders Smollet Records Unsealed

A judge in Chicago ordered that “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett’s criminal records be unsealed after news organizations went to court to get them last week.

The records involving the 36-year-old actor had been sealed back in March shortly after charges against him were dropped by prosecutors, according to ABC7 Chicago on Thursday.

He was arrested and faced multiple felony charges for allegedly faking a hate crime that involved racist and homophobic slurs against himself in January.


Media attorney Natalie Spears argued that there was no point in keeping the records sealed anymore.


New Jersey middle school teacher charged with child sex assault after alleged sexual relationship with student
Appeals court pauses orders limiting federal agents’ use of tear gas at protests near Portland ICE building
United jet dodges Black Hawk in last-second maneuver over California airport: ‘That was not good’
BREAKING: Trump Ends DHS Payment Freeze Without Congress, Issues Immediate Orders to New DHS Sec. Markwayne Mullin
Schumer, Dems block DHS funding again as Trump intervenes to pay TSA agents
Nancy Mace Poised to Side with Democrats to Pass War Powers Resolution: ‘War with Iran Needs to End’
Elon Musk demands judge’s recusal after latest flare-up over alleged bias
Trump declares national emergency at airports, to sign order instructing DHS to ‘immediately pay’ TSA officers
CPAC 2026 cools on Trump 2028 campaign
Alert: Olympic Committee Steps up to Protect Women, Bans Trans Athletes from Female Events
Treasury to place Trump’s signature on paper currency to mark nation’s 250th anniversary
Bombshell Report: US Intel Finds Ukrainian Messages Detailing Plot to Swing Election Toward Biden
Andy Barr seeks to thwart ‘patently false’ Kentucky Senate ad with cease and desist
‘Orwellian’ Biden-era censorship reined in; red states celebrate ‘historic’ settlement
Netflix Denies Exec Called Muslims ‘Dangerous People’ After Reportedly Asking Comic to Cut Islam Joke
See also  IDF claims it struck Iranian senior officials’ headquarters in airstrikes

“There is no way to secrete the fact of Jussie Smollett’s arrest. At this point it is widely and publicly known from here to Helsinki and back,” Spears shared, per the Chicago Tribune. “No potential employer, let alone anyone with a pulse, does not know about Jussie Smollett’s arrest at this point.”

Meanwhile, one of Smollett’s attorney, Brian Watson, argued that the actor had a right to privacy afforded to other people.

“The root of this problem is not Mr. Smollett,” Watson shared. “The root of this problem is that the media, Mrs. Spears’ clients, created publicity, and now her clients want to use that against someone who wants to get their rights back.”

As previously reported, the actor initially claimed he was attacked on the streets of his home in Chicago by two men who he said threw a rope around his neck and poured a bleach-like substance on him. They also reportedly yelled racist and homophobic slurs at him.


New Jersey middle school teacher charged with child sex assault after alleged sexual relationship with student
Appeals court pauses orders limiting federal agents’ use of tear gas at protests near Portland ICE building
United jet dodges Black Hawk in last-second maneuver over California airport: ‘That was not good’
BREAKING: Trump Ends DHS Payment Freeze Without Congress, Issues Immediate Orders to New DHS Sec. Markwayne Mullin
Schumer, Dems block DHS funding again as Trump intervenes to pay TSA agents
Nancy Mace Poised to Side with Democrats to Pass War Powers Resolution: ‘War with Iran Needs to End’
Elon Musk demands judge’s recusal after latest flare-up over alleged bias
Trump declares national emergency at airports, to sign order instructing DHS to ‘immediately pay’ TSA officers
CPAC 2026 cools on Trump 2028 campaign
Alert: Olympic Committee Steps up to Protect Women, Bans Trans Athletes from Female Events
Treasury to place Trump’s signature on paper currency to mark nation’s 250th anniversary
Bombshell Report: US Intel Finds Ukrainian Messages Detailing Plot to Swing Election Toward Biden
Andy Barr seeks to thwart ‘patently false’ Kentucky Senate ad with cease and desist
‘Orwellian’ Biden-era censorship reined in; red states celebrate ‘historic’ settlement
Netflix Denies Exec Called Muslims ‘Dangerous People’ After Reportedly Asking Comic to Cut Islam Joke
See also  Duffy predicts ‘worse’ wait times will increase shutdown pressure on Democrats

However, by the end of the investigation police concluded the attack on the “Empire” star was a hoax. Soon after, he was arrested and faced 16 felony counts of disorderly conduct for making a false police report.

Then all charges against him were suddenly dropped by the State Attorney’s office.

The records are expected to be unsealed Thursday.

Story cited here.
Share this article:
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter