Actor Jussie Smollett has been charged in the US city of Chicago with the felony offence of filing a false police report over the alleged homophobic and racist attack on him last month.
The 36-year-old Empire star has claimed he was the victim of a brutal assault in Chicago in January, but doubt was cast over his claims when it emerged he allegedly knew two men investigated over the alleged incident.
At a press conference on Thursday, Superintendent Eddie Johnson of the Chicago Police Department claimed Smollett staged the alleged attack because he was "dissatisfied" with his salary and described it as a "publicity stunt".
Lawyers acting for Smollett have vowed to ''mount an aggressive defence'' against the charge.
On Wednesday a police spokesman said felony criminal charges had been approved against the actor.
Smollett had been charged with "disorderly conduct / filing a false police report," Chicago Police Department spokesman, Anthony Guglielmi, said in a tweet.
Felony criminal charges have been approved by @CookCountySAO against Jussie Smollett for Disorderly Conduct / Filing a False Police Report. Detectives will make contact with his legal team to negotiate a reasonable surrender for his arrest. pic.twitter.com/LvBSYE2kVj
— Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) February 21, 2019
Lawyers Todd Pugh and Victor Henderson, who are representing the actor, said in a statement: "Like any other citizen, Mr Smollett enjoys the presumption of innocence, particularly when there has been an investigation like this one where information, both true and false, has been repeatedly leaked."
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