-Ava DuVernay blasted the Chicago PD for their actions during the Justice Smollett case.
-Update: Ava blasts USA Today.
January 22: Jussie got a threatening letter containing white powder (Tylenol?) which was confirmed by the Chicago PD.
January 29: Jussie reports to police that he was assaulted in Chicago by two men who said racial and homophobic slurs. Police are investigating the incident as a hate crime.
-He told police that he had just landed in town from New York, and was attacked near a Subway restaurant around 2 a.m. on East North Lower Water Street, in the upscale neighborhood of Streeterville.
-Jussie went to Subways at 2 a.m. in East North Lower Water Street which is in the upscale neighborhood of Streeterville.
The perpetuators began to pour bleach on him and one of them wraps a rope around Jussie's neck. Jussie states that the two men wore dark clothing and ski masks.
The two offenders also yelled out "This is MAGA country." Chicago PD said that when the detectives up with Jussie later in the day, he told them that the offenders made those comments. The detectives completed a supplemental report.
January 29: Many Celebrities Rally Behind Smollett and call for Justice on him with
#JusticeforJussiehttps://instagram.com/p/BtOrBBmH6GK
With Lee Daniels (Executive Producer of Empire is one of the first celebs to reach out)
-He also briefly uploaded the pic of Jussie in the hospital and then took it down.
January 30: Two Persons of Interest found?
Meanwhile Jussie's Empire costars lend their support to him.
January 31: Donald Trump responds to Jussie's case
"That, I can tell you, is horrible," the U.S. President, who Smollett has occasionally criticized online, tells reporters. "I've seen it, last night. I think that's horrible. It doesn't get worse as far as I'm concerned."
January 31: More details emerge from the case
Smollett alerted the Chicago PD 30-40 min. after the incident. After the incident, Jussie spoke to his manager Brandon Moore.
January 31: Jussie's siblings and family lend their support to him.
https://instagram.com/p/BtUwaKBlhJK
February 1: Jussie releases his first public statement since the incident
"Let me start by saying that I'm OK. My body is strong but my soul is stronger. More importantly I want to say thank you. The outpouring of love and support from my village has meant more than I will ever be able to truly put into words. I am working with authorities and have been 100 percent factual and consistent on every level," Smollett adds. "Despite my frustrations and deep concern with certain inaccuracies and misrepresentations that have been spread, I still believe that justice will be served."
February 1: Many LGBTQ and Black communities lend their support to Jussie as they stand along with him.
February 2: Jussie emerges in public for the first time onstage at a concert.
February 11: He Provides the Police his Phone Records
-Sources close to the case say he gave them a PDF file of redacted phone calls but did not provide a download of the phone or a digital record.
"Smollett's rep tells the outlet that information in the phone records given to police was redacted "to protect the privacy of personal contacts or high-profile individuals not relevant to the attack," adding, "Jussie has voluntarily provided his phone records from within an hour of the attack and given multiple statements to police. Chicago PD has repeatedly informed us that they find Jussie's account of what happened that night consistent and credible."
February 13: Two of the alleged suspects are detained
Two brothers, Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo are arrested for their alleged doing in the incident.
February 14: Persons of Interest Identified
February 14: Jussie gives his first televised interview to GMA
February 14: The Chicago PD can't confirm whether the incident was a Hoax
Sources close to Jussie states that police are investigating claims that Jussie and the two "persons of interest" were involved in his attack b/c he was supposedly being written off of Empire.
Fox the company that owns/produces Empire comes out with a statement denying that they were ever going to write him off of the show. And also state that they continue to stand by the actor.
February 15: The two brothers are released
One of them appeared on Empire and the other one had an affiliation with Jussie prior to the incident.
The men's lawyers state that their clients were confused to why they were persons of interests and that they aren't guilty of it, and that they send their best to Jussie.
February 16: Former Potential Suspects Are Cooperating With Police
According to a source to NBC News, that the two men purchased the rope which was laterfound around Smollett's neck at a hardware store.
Smollet's lawyer retaliates the claims and states this Saturday:
February 17: Police seek to re-interview Jussie Smollet
February 17: His case is to go grand jury
February 18: Jussie Smollett Grand Jury May Be Postponed, 2 Brothers to Testify
February 18: Jussie's lawyers respond:
"There are no plans for Jussie Smollett to meet with Chicago police today," the attorneys say in a statement to E! News. "Any news reports suggesting otherwise are inaccurate. Smollett's attorneys will keep an active dialogue going with Chicago police on his behalf."
February 18: Jussie Smollett will not meet with CPD today
-Three weeks have passed since the incident occurred. Since then, there have been countless anonymous sources who have called his story into question "fueling a firestorm of outrage and confusion over what to believe and how to feel about the case."
-The narrative to this incident surrounding it by the media have changed a lot. It was a tragedy and now there are some people who believe it was a hoax.
-Because of the context of Jussie who is a Black Gay man and the MAGA words/our political climate right now, this incident has become a lighting rod in which these issues are further perpetuating the racism, homophobia, and our distrust in the media.
-He has lawyered up since January 16 and is being represented by Chicago defense attorneys Todd S. Pugh and Victor P. Henderson.
What has emerged from this is that it has riled up the conservatives into a conspiracy surrounding Smollet's case.
-When rumors began to spread about the alleged hoax and such, many Conservative pundits said that Smollet's case is a reaction to Trump's supporters who are being 'vilified by the media.' Ex. Case in point the Convington Catholic school situation a couple weeks ago.
-To conservatives they view this as an attack on Trump supporters and not LGBTQ folks, minorities, and other disenfranchised groups who are the most affected by this.
-Smollet's case is still ongoing and most of the media coverage was taken from the police's statements.
-"The developing narrative is being taken as a sign that journalists blindly accept any stories with a careless disregard for the facts — particularly those stories that support liberal ideals."
-In both the Convington and Smollet cases, liberals were quick to condemn the attacks.
-
"No matter how the facts shake out — for all the speculation, police are still not calling Smollet a “suspect” — the case now hits at the core identity that Trump shares with his supporters, perpetuating a dangerous worldview that the media is corrupt and the stories of racism and bigotry are better off not being believed."Sources:
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