Jussie Smollett Sues The City Of Chicago For Malicious Prosecution
Actor and singer Jussie Smollett has filed a counterclaim in federal court against the city of Chicago, various law enforcement officers, and Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo as the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
In the lawsuit, Smollett claims that a malicious prosecution caused him financial harm, “humiliation, mental anguish, and extreme emotional distress.”
Smollett’s counterclaim was featured in a 49-page response to a lawsuit filed by the Windy City against the actor and singer.
The midwestern city wants to recover $130,106 for the investigation it conducted after the former Empire star made the alleged false claim that he was a victim of a racially motivated homophobic violent attack back in January.
The Chicago Police Department, Detectives Michael Theis and Edward Wodnicki, Supt. Eddie Johnson and Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo were among those named in Smollett’s counterclaim.
Smollett’s attorneys claim that law enforcement has sought to have the actor and singer prosecuted based on the Osundario brothers’ “false, self-serving, and unreliable statements in order to close the investigation into the attack on Mr. Smollett.”
Smollett’s lawyers say that the proceedings against the actor were forfeited “in Mr. Smollett’s favor and in a manner which indicates his innocence because all 16 counts of the criminal indictment were dismissed two and a half weeks after the indictment was filed.”
Smollett’s legal defense team also claimed that the city of Chicago can’t recover costs from Smollett because it already accepted $10,000 from him “as payment in full in connection with the dismissal of the charges against him.”
The lawsuit which was filed late Tuesday (Nov. 19) comes after a decision by U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall not to terminate the city’s lawsuit against Smollett.
In Kendall’s ruling, she wrote, “The city must prove the truth of these allegations to prevail at summary judgment or trial, at which point Smollett will be free to dispute the city’s claims.”
This is a developing story. Check back for more details.
