The Controversy
Jussie Smollett, an American actor, made headlines in 2019 after he reported being attacked by two men in Chicago. The attack was allegedly carried out by two white men who yelled racial and homophobic slurs at him. The incident was initially treated as a hate crime, and Smollett received widespread support from the public and fellow celebrities.
However, it later emerged that the attack may have been staged by Smollett himself. The Chicago Police Department accused him of filing a false police report and charged him with 16 counts of disorderly conduct. The charges were eventually dropped, but the controversy surrounding the incident continued to follow Smollett.
Post-Controversy
After the controversy, Smollett was written out of the final two episodes of the fifth season of the television show Empire, in which he played one of the main characters. The show was subsequently canceled, but the reasons for the cancellation were not directly related to the controversy surrounding Smollett.
Smollett remained largely out of the public eye for several months after the controversy. In June 2019, he made a surprise appearance at the BET Awards, where he presented an award to musician Tyler Perry. He received a standing ovation from the audience.
The Lawsuit
In November 2019, the city of Chicago filed a lawsuit against Smollett, seeking to recover the costs of the investigation into the alleged attack. The lawsuit claimed that Smollett had caused the city to incur significant costs and had wasted police resources by filing a false police report.
In February 2020, a judge ruled that the lawsuit could proceed, and Smollett was ordered to pay $130,000 to cover the costs of the investigation. Smollett's legal team appealed the decision, and the case is ongoing.
Recent Developments
Since the lawsuit, Smollett has largely remained out of the public eye. In September 2020, he made a virtual appearance at a political fundraiser for a candidate running for the Cook County State's Attorney's Office in Illinois. He spoke briefly about criminal justice reform and racial inequality.
It is unclear what Smollett's future plans are, both in terms of his career and his personal life. He has not made any public statements since the political fundraiser in September 2020.
Conclusion
Jussie Smollett's career has been marred by controversy since the alleged attack in 2019. The fallout from the incident led to his departure from Empire and a lawsuit from the city of Chicago. While he has made a few public appearances since the controversy, he has largely remained out of the public eye. It remains to be seen what the future holds for Smollett.