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Jussie Smollett‘s legal ordeal is far from over and last week, a Chicago grand jury revealed over a dozen counts connected to the allegedly staged racist and homophobic attack. The jury returned 16 counts connected to the case and an arraignment is due to occur this week.
CBS Chicago reports:
The grand jury returned the disorderly conduct charges on Thursday. He is scheduled to be arraigned on March 14. The specific allegations–“false report of offense”– are Class 4 felonies.
“Jussie Smollett knew that at the time … there was no reasonable ground for believing that such offenses had been committed,” according to the indictment.
The indictment expands the case against the actor. The counts focus on allegedly false statements he made to two different Chicago Police officers. Each count covers various alleged acts that Smollett falsely described to the officers–including that he was hit by two men, that they yelled racial and homophobic slurs and poured a chemical on him.
“[The grand jury] decided he told multiple lies,” Miller said. “There were going to charge him for each.”
As it stands, Smollett is sticking with his story that the money he paid Empire extras Ola and Abel Osundairo for tips on getting fit, not to help him stage the attack.
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Photo: Getty
