Jussie Smollett

Jussie Smollett will soon be a free man. A Cook County (Chicago) judge set the actor’s bond at $100,000 at a bond hearing on Thursday. The Empire star was arrested early Thursday and charged with disorderly conduct for filing a false police report, a Class 4 felony in Illinois.

Judge John Fitzgerald Lyke told Smollett, “As you stand before me we presume you’re innocent but the state read me a proffer that is outrageous. Using a noose during a staged hate crime, conjures up the greatest evil in this country.”

Smollett did not speak but his attorney argued in court the actor has a “history of giving to charity and philanthropy.”

After the brief bond hearing, Risa Lanier of the Cook County State Attorney’s Office read the charges and she gave a detailed timeline of the entire case against Smollett.

Speaking for 17 minutes, she detailed when Smollett first met Abel Osundairo, 25. How they bonded and worked out together, and how Smollett took advantage of the young man by convincing the bodybuilder and his older brother, Ola Osundairo, 27, to help him stage the fake attack.

She said Smollett wrote out a check for $3,500 and asked the men when they were leaving the country to fly to Nigeria.

Lanier said Smollett ordered the men not to bring their cell phones and the “phony attack” lasted 45 seconds.

According to ABC 7’s Rob Elgas:

  • Smollett gave the Smollett brothers $100 cash to buy supplies including gasoline to pour on him.

  • Smollett provided a “back dated” check for $3500 to the brothers.

  • Smollett placed 8-minute phone call with one of the brothers after they landed in Istanbul, Turkey after the reported attack.

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