As Matt wrote on Wednesday, the game is over for Jussie Smollett, who has now turned himself in to Chicago police.
The “Empire” actor, who stands accused of making a false police report, claiming two white men attacked him, poured a chemical substance on him and put a rope around his neck, with one yelling ‘This is MAGA country,’ is in the “custody of detectives,” Chicago police Chief Communications Officer Anthony Guglielmi said.
Felony criminal charges have been approved by @CookCountySAO against Jussie Smollett for Disorderly Conduct / Filing a False Police Report. Detectives will make contact with his legal team to negotiate a reasonable surrender for his arrest. pic.twitter.com/LvBSYE2kVj
— Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) February 21, 2019
Press Briefing: Jussie Smollet is under arrest and in custody of detectives. At 9am at #ChicagoPolice Headquarters, Supt Eddie Johnson, Commander of Area Central Detectives Edward Wodnicki will brief reporters on the investigation prior to the defendants appearance in court. pic.twitter.com/9PSv8Ojec2
— Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) February 21, 2019
“Like any other citizen, Mr. Smollett enjoys the presumption of innocence, particularly when there has been an investigation like this one where information, both true and false, has been repeatedly leaked," Smollet's attorneys Todd Pugh and Victor Henderson said in a statement Wednesday. "Given these circumstances, we intend to conduct a thorough investigation and to mount an aggressive defense."
The charge of filing a false police report could bring up to three years in prison.