Jussie Smollett‘s lawyer believes “politics” is to blame for the actor’s indictment in Chicago on Tuesday.
The former ‘Empire’ star was indicted on charges of making false reports to the Chicago Police Department following a hate-crime hoax last year.
The 37-year-old disgraced actor is facing 6 new charges of disorderly conduct by special prosecutor Dan Webb, who was appointed to investigate why State Attorney Kim Foxx‘s initial 16-count felony indictment against Smollett was dropped.
Smollett’s lawyer, Tina Glandian, released a statement criticizing the indictment on Tuesday, WENN.com reported.
“After more than five months of investigation, the Office of the Special Prosecutor has not found any evidence of wrongdoing whatsoever related to the dismissal of the charges against Mr. Smollett,” she said.
Glandian defended Kim Foxx’s action, saying “the charges were appropriately dismissed the first time because they were not supported by the evidence.”
She suggested that the new charges were timed to disrupt Foxx’s reelection as Illinois state prosecutor.
“The attempt to re-prosecute Mr. Smollett one year later on the eve of the Cook County State’s Attorney election is clearly all about politics, not justice,” Glandian said.
Smollett is due back in court on February 24, according to local news channel Fox32.
