Former “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett’s career has grinded to a screeching halt after he allegedly staged a fake attack on the streets of downtown Chicago.
But if the Chicago Police Department’s investigation was accurate, which led to sixteen felony charges against him, then he deserved prison time for stirring up nationwide controversy. That didn’t happen because the Cook County State Attorney’s office dropped the charges.
And now Jussie Smollett’s brother Jojo is doubling down on something ludicrous about the alleged fake hoax.
The facts the police uncovered included a $3,500 check made out to two Nigerian brothers, Ola and Abel Osundario, whom also worked on Smollett’s former show “Empire,” and they discovered videotape of the brothers buying items including a red hat, black ski mask, and gloves.
That’s damaging and would certainly indicate the Chicago Police department did great due diligence.
But that didn’t stop Cook County State Attorney Kim Foxx from dropping all the charges – letting him off with a slap on the wrist of forking over his $10,000 bond and some community service.
And his brother doubled-down on his innocence with an op-ed piece for BET entitled, “What if Jussie is Telling the Truth,” where he details that Jussie is having “night terrors.”
Night terrors are basically an extreme form of a nightmare that leads to screaming, flailing and an all-around intense fear.
Jojo noted, “Jussie is as strong as iron, but following an attack like this, there is a normal and natural amount of post trauma that mostly anyone should expect to suffer. I have literally seen him violently awakening from night terrors, following the assault. Some of my siblings, as well as Jussie’s partner and closest friends have seen similar things.”
Of course, he’s alluding these night terrors Jussie’s experiencing were brought on by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) of the attack, but he is also an actor. You might even say he was a gifted actor who would sometimes performs on Broadway and you don’t get those coveted roles unless you’re skilled at your craft.
Jojo also wrote, “Within less than three months, his life has been turned upside down as my family and I have witnessed him endure unrelenting attacks to his character and reputation. To define this experience as unjust would be an understatement.”
And here’s where the piece takes a hard right turn into obscurity.
He continued, “We can’t ignore the desire among the far-right to criminalize whole sectors of the country, which they either refuse to accept or feel are natural political opponents.”
That is a baseless accusation not rooted in fact. What evidence is there that the “far-right” has criminalized “whole sectors of the country.”
It’s almost ironic too because that was one of the justifications initially thought for the reason why Jussie Smollett allegedly staged the attack. It was believed he did it for two reasons; to demonize President Trump’s supporters the supposed “far-right” as violent, racist and homophobic – and he wanted a bigger salary for “Empire” and attempted to play the empathy card to get more money.
It almost worked too.
Jojo did his best in the piece to paint Jussie as the victim, standing behind his innocence and attacking anybody who doubts the whole situation, but the simple fact remains the evidence doesn’t add up.