Police are releasing new details on the alleged hoax attack carried out by Empire actor Jussie Smollett, and fellow actor Terry Crews is having trouble processing the apparent stupidity of it.
On Wednesday, Chicago police laid out the charges the actor is facing for allegedly faking an attack at the end of January, one that he paid two friends to carry out. Police announced that Smollett had paid the pair $3,500 to attack him — and did so with a personal check with his own name on it.
The detail caused quite a stir online, with many wondering how much thought he put into the attack to leave such an easily identifying detail should it not go as planned. Actor Terry Crews was among those perplexed by it.
“Wait.. what? He used a CHECK? Noooooooooooooo,” Crews tweeted .
Police had some very harsh words for the actor as well, with Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson calling it a slap in the face that the city didn’t deserve.
“Smollett took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career,” Johnson said in a Thursday morning press conference (via CBS Chicago ). “This publicity stunt was a scar that Chicago didn’t earn, and certainly didn’t deserve.”
Johnson went on to say he did not understand why an African-American man would “use the symbolism of a noose” to make false accusations. Smollett had originally claimed that two men attacked him while shouting the slogan for Donald Trump’s campaign, “Make America Great Again,” then beat him and put a noose around his neck.
Smollett had turned himself in on Sunday, where he was charged with disorderly conduct for allegedly staging the attack. He was ordered to turn in his passport, and bail was set at $100,000.
Police said that Jussie Smollett concocted the attack for attention and to further his career, but that now appears to be in jeopardy. Fox has released a statement saying the network was evaluating the situation and would be “considering our options” regarding his future on Empire.
Wait.. what? He used a CHECK? Noooooooooooooo
Police Say Jussie Smollett Paid Two Men By Check To Stage Attack; ‘This Publicity Stunt Was A Scar That Chicago Didn’t Earn’ – CBS Chicago https://t.co/rKvoDQq40I
— Terry Crews (@terrycrews) February 21, 2019
Jussie Smollett could still face more trouble after the charges that have already come down from the Chicago Police Department. He is also being investigated for a threatening letter that arrived just days before the allegedly fake attack, with federal investigators looking into whether he sent it to himself. Mail fraud is a federal charge, one that could land him in prison for five years or more.
