Chicago Settles with Jussie Smollett in Hate Crime Hoax Case
Chicago residents may finally see closure in the infamous hate crime hoax case involving actor Jussie Smollett, as the city has reportedly reached a settlement agreement with him.
Following Smollett’s staged hate crime incident in Streeterville over six years ago, which led to charges of filing a false report, the city filed a lawsuit against him to recover the expenses incurred by the Chicago Police Department during the investigation into the fabricated incident.
The city based its lawsuit on the False Statements Ordinance, which prohibits individuals from making false statements to the city in various contexts, and the Cost Recovery Ordinance, which holds individuals responsible for city expenses resulting from false claims.
Smollett’s legal team has contested the city’s claims, arguing that the city failed to demonstrate that Smollett’s statements directly led to the incurring of overtime costs by the CPD.
During a recent court appearance in a federal courtroom downtown, representatives of both the city and Smollett informed the court of a settlement agreement. The court docket entry indicated that the parties had settled but required additional time to finalize the documentation.
Details of the settlement remain undisclosed, with the next hearing scheduled for May 29 to address any remaining formalities.
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