The Chicago Police Department released footage from the night of the alleged hate crime against disgraced actor Jussie Smollett.
The footage reportedly shows the moment officers arrived at Smollett’s apartment following the alleged attack, according to a report published Monday by The Hollywood Reporter.
“There’s bleach on me. They poured bleach on me,” Jussie Smollett told police the night of the alleged attack in Chicago. “Do you want to take it off or anything?” Chicago police officer asks Jussie Smollett about the rope around his neck. https://t.co/4mmKwNVaBb pic.twitter.com/WfsuKc3PrW
— CBS Chicago (@cbschicago) June 24, 2019
Body-cam surveillance footage captured Smollett with rope strung over his neck that he claimed he attackers put on him. The former “Empire” actor told the police why he kept the rope around his neck, saying he “just wanted you all to see it.”
Once Smollett realized the police officers were recording the interaction via body-cam, he requested they turn them off. (RELATED: Chicago Police Department Release Jussie Smollett 911 Call)
The newly released footage is part of 70 hours of surveillance video connected to the Smollett case. The release comes after a judge appointed a special prosecutor to investigate why Cook County court dropped all charges against Smollett.
With poetic flair, Judge Toomin said, basically, Jussie Smollett’s entire prosecution— even the part where charges were dropped— was invalid, because Foxx said she’d “recused” herself before he was ever arrested, and failed to ask for a special prosecutor https://t.co/a8QEwGEnSj pic.twitter.com/iLcKY7ZZMr
— Andy Grimm (@agrimm34) June 21, 2019
Smollett was accused of lying to the police about a hate crime hoax in January. He was charged with 16 counts of disorderly conduct, but the charges were later dropped by prosecutor Kim Foxx due to his previous community service.
Despite all charges being dropped, Fox announced in April that Smollett would not be returning to “Empire.”