*Jussie Smollett has accused the Chicago police department of covering up for shady cops in his legal battle over a $130,000 lawsuit from the city.
In 2019, the actor/singer was accused of lying to cops by allegedly staging a racist and homophobic ‘hoax’ attack on himself. The felony charges against him for falsifying a police report were dropped last year but a special prosecutor charged him again in February.
The city is suing Jussie for $130,000 over the ‘hoax’ that occurred in January 2019. Meanwhile, Smollett claims Chicago is refusing to hand over evidence that police officers lied about the case. In new legal documents, he is requesting files related to the termination of Chicago PD Superintendent Eddie Johnson, who was involved in the original case against him.
Johnson was fired in December after being caught drinking and kissing his alleged mistress during a night out. Mayor Lori Lightfoot kicked him to the curb after he misled her and the public about the incident.
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Smollett said in court filings this weekend that Johnson could have also lied during his handling of the “hoax” case, Daily Mail reports.
Smollett’s lawyers said Chicago was ‘resisting’ his attempts to “expose dishonesty” at a time when “millions across the country rise up to protest police misconduct.”
“As we see millions across the country rise up to protest and expose police misconduct, the City, by its refusal to produce the requested documents, is choosing to actively resist a citizen’s lawful efforts to reveal dishonesty, directly relating to the charges against him, throughout the department, including the police superintendent who oversaw and publicly commented on the investigation of Mr. Smollett’s report of a vicious hate crime and assault,” Smollett’s attorneys wrote in a filing on June 6th.
Jussie is adamant of his innocence, adding: “The City and CPD knew Mr. Smollett was innocent, and that the City has relentlessly pursued Mr. Smollett even after the charges against Mr. Smollett were dismissed.”
The city is also trying to recoup the cost of its investigation into Smollett in civil court.
Smollett believes he is entitled to the records relating to Johnson’s firing because they could prove a pattern of dishonesty.
“Documents from Johnson’s termination may lead to evidence of Johnson’s lack of truthfulness during the early 2019 investigation of Mr. Smollett’s report of being assaulted and subsequent decision by the City to pursue a civil claim against Mr. Smollett knowing Mr. Smollett’s innocence,” his attorneys wrote.
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