(CNN) All charges against Jussie Smollett -- the actor who'd been accused of staging a hate crime against himself in Chicago -- were dropped Tuesday, a development that his attorneys hailed as vindication but angered top city officials who still are calling his victimhood claim a hoax.

The move is a dramatic reversal in a case in which police alleged just last month that the 36-year-old "Empire" actor hired two acquaintances to attack him along a street in late January to promote his career and then filed a false police report.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that Smollett used the prospect of a hate crime to advance his acting career and is now walking around like he did nothing wrong.

The mayor said if Smollett were not an actor with influence, he would have been held to a different legal standard.

"It's just not right. It's not right on any level," he said.

The prosecutor in the case said he understood that people would question dropping the charges, but that thousands of cases have similar resolutions and Smollett forfeited his bail money and did community service so that the matter would be closed before trial.

The Cook County State's Attorney's Office released little about why it abandoned the 16 felony disorderly conduct charges, except to say it came after reviewing the case's facts, and that the actor agreed to forfeit his $10,000 bond. Parts of the case will be sealed, one of Smollett's attorneys said.

"After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smollett's volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago, we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case," the state's attorney's office said in a statement.

Smollett performed a total of 16 hours of volunteer service on Saturday and Monday for the Rainbow Push Coalition, which was founded by the Rev. Jesse Jackson. A spokesman for the group could not say whether the service was related to this case.

First Assistant State's Attorney Joseph Magats, the lead prosecutor, said the charges would not have been dropped without the bond forfeiture and the community service factor. He added that Smollett had no prior felonies and wasn't a danger to the community.

"He was prosecuted. It may not have been the disposition that everybody thought would occur," Magats told CNN affiliate WLS . "He did do community service. He did forfeit $10,000. It's a fair and just disposition in the case."

Magats said there were 5,700 other cases with similar results, but this one stood out in the media because of the defendant's celebrity.

When asked whether he considered Smollett to be innocent, the prosecutor told WLS: "No."

Smollet: I have never lied

Smollett's attorneys maintain that the actor was indeed attacked in Chicago on January 29 and that misinformation led to a rush to judgment against him.

After a brief appearance in a courtroom where the charges were formally dropped, Smollett told reporters Tuesday morning he was thankful to everyone who stood by him, and that he wouldn't have put his family "through a fire like this" for a lie.

"I have been truthful and consistent on every single level since Day One," Smollett said before leaving the court building. "I would not be my mother's son if I was capable of one drop of what I've been accused of."

Smollett said he wanted to move on with his life, adding that he "will always continue to fight for the justice, equality and betterment of marginalized people everywhere."

A grand jury indicted Smollett earlier this month on 16 felony counts of disorderly conduct after what police said was weeks of painstaking investigation. He had pleaded not guilty to the charges and denied any involvement in orchestrating an attack.

But Chicago's mayor and police superintendent reacted angrily to the news -- and said they still believed Smollett's story was a hoax.

Mayor: This is a 'whitewash of justice'

Mayor Emanuel accused the actor of using hate-crime laws to promote himself.

"Is there no decency in this man?" the mayor asked reporters hours after the charges were dropped.

"A grand jury saw the evidence (and) realized this was a hoax -- a hoax on the city, a hoax on hate crimes, a hoax on people of good values who actually were empathetic at first.

"And he used that empathy for only one reason ... himself," Emanuel said.

"This is without a doubt a whitewash of justice and sends a clear message that if you're in a position of influence and power, you'll get treated one way. Other people will be treated another way," Emanuel said. "There is no accountability in the system. It is wrong, full stop."

Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said he stood by his detectives' conclusions: That Smollett staged the attack.

"If you want to say you're innocent of the situation, then you take your day in court," Johnson said, standing next to Emanuel. "

"At the end of the day, it's Mr. Smollett who committed this hoax, period," Johnson said. "If he wanted to clear his name, the way to do that was in a court of law so that everybody could see the evidence."

Smollett said that men attacked him, using racial and homophobic slurs

Smollett, who is black and gay, reported to police that two men attacked him near the lower entrance of a hotel around 2 a.m. on January 29 as he was walking back from getting something to eat.

Smollett, who plays a gay character on the Fox drama "Empire," said the attackers yelled, " 'Empire' fa***t'" and " 'Empire' n***er," while striking him, police said. The incident ended with a noose around his neck and bleach poured on him, police said.

The actor said one of the men shouted, "This is MAGA country," a reference to President Donald Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan, according to police.

Police initially investigated the case as a possible hate crime.

After police detained and interviewed two brothers who were "persons of interest" in the case, Johnson, the police superintendent, announced that Smollett was being charged, saying that Smollett knew the men and paid them to stage the attack.

The brothers were released without being charged.

Smollett paid the brothers $3,500 to attack him, to take "advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career," Johnson said when announcing the charges last month.

And days before the assault, Smollett first "attempted to gain attention by sending a false letter" to the "Empire" set "that relied on racial, homophobic and political language," Johnson said. It contained white powder and a drawing of a "stick figure hanging from a tree," police have said.

According to prosecutors, Smollett told one of the brothers that he was disappointed in the "Empire" team's reaction to the letter. "When that didn't work, Smollett paid $3,500 to stage this attack," the police superintendent said.

On Tuesday, Smollett attorney Patricia Brown Holmes said Smollett did pay the brothers, but only for "nutrition and training."

"They were his trainers," she said.

Smollett's attorney: We believe the brothers attacked him

Brown Holmes said Tuesday that it's her position that the brothers were Smollett's attackers.

"The two brothers have said that they attacked him," she said. "(But) we don't want to try them in the press any more than" Smollett wanted to be, she said.

Legal team says charges against him were a rush to judgment

In a statement released Tuesday morning, Holmes and another of his attorneys, Tina Glandian, said the actor was "a victim who was vilified and made to appear as a perpetrator as a result of false and inappropriate remarks made to the public, causing an inappropriate rush to judgment."

"This entire situation is a reminder that there should never be an attempt to prove a case in the court of public opinion," the statement reads. "That is wrong. It is a reminder that a victim, in this case Jussie, deserves dignity and respect. Dismissal of charges against the victim in this case was the only just result.

"Jussie is relieved to have this situation behind him and is very much looking forward to getting back to focusing on his family, friends and career."

20th Century Fox Television 'gratified' that charges were dropped

The studio and network behind the television drama "Empire" said it was "gratified" that the charges against the actor have been dropped.

"Jussie Smollett has always maintained his innocence and we are gratified that all charges against him have been dismissed," Chris Alexander, a spokesperson for 20th Century Fox Television and the Fox network, said in a statement to CNN on Tuesday.</s>CHICAGO— On Tuesday, prosecutors for Cook County, Illinois, dropped all charges against “Empire” star Jussie Smollett, indicted on 16 counts of disorderly conduct for filing a false police report about a hate-crime attack.

"After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smollett’s volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago, we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case," according to a statement from the office of the Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx, sent to USA TODAY by her spokeswoman, Tandra Simonton.

Simonton said the $10,000 bond money that Smollett is forfeiting will be given to the city. One of the penalties for filing a false police report, if there is a conviction, includes paying for the police costs of investigating a false crime report.

Smollett's legal team also issued a statement, stressing that the charges against him were dropped, and not because of a plea deal.

“Today, all criminal charges against Jussie Smollett were dropped and his record has been wiped clean of the filing of this tragic complaint against him," according to a statement from Smollett's lawyers Tina Glandian and Patricia Brown Holmes. “... He was a victim who was vilified and made to appear as a perpetrator as a result of false and inappropriate remarks made to the public causing an inappropriate rush to judgement.

"Jussie and many others were hurt by these unfair and unwarranted actions," the lawyers added, noting the case is a reminder of why "there should never be an attempt to prove a case in the court of public opinion."

"Jussie is relieved to have this situation behind him and is very much looking forward to getting back to focusing on his family, friends and career."

Initial reaction from various players involved in the case ranged from shock to no comment. Fox, which airs "Empire," told USA TODAY that "as of this time, the studio and network have no comment."

Meanwhile, the show's writers tweeted a photo of a CNN headline that read "Prosecutors drop all charges against actor Jussie Smollett" and wrote, "see y’all Wednesday. #empire #empirefox" along with a winking smiley face emoji.

The news comes after Smollett pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on March 14 on a 16-count indictment of lying to police. He has denied the charges.

Smollett, 36, told Chicago police that he was attacked in the middle of the night on Jan. 29, claiming that two masked men shouted homophobic and racist abuse at him, beat his face, threw bleach on him, hung a noose around his neck and yelled, "This is MAGA country," a reference to President Trump's campaign slogan.

While messages of support for Smollett from his famous friends, from presidential candidates and total strangers poured in over social media, police busied themselves watching hours of surveillance video and searching for two murky figures Smollett said were the attackers.

In court: Jussie Smollett pleads not guilty to lying to police about alleged attack

What happened: Jussie Smollett investigation timeline: How the actor went from assault victim to suspect

On Feb. 20, after a flurry of conflicting leaks from the Chicago Police Department about the status of the investigation, Smollett was charged by police with one Class 4 felony count of disorderly conduct for filing a false police report about the alleged attack.

He turned himself in early the next day, was arrested and briefly jailed, before being released on $100,000 bond.

Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said Smollett paid bodybuilder brothers Ola Osundairo, 27, and Abel Osundairo, 25, $3,500 to stage an attack on him in order to raise his profile and his TV salary.

Chicago Police said Johnson, who had sharply attacked Smollett for allegedly wasting police time for personal profit, was not available for comment on the charges being dropped.

More: Jussie Smollett case: Brothers apologize for roles in alleged fake attack

Opinion: Jussie Smollett deserves punishment for hate crime hoax, but he also deserves compassion

The interview: Robin Roberts reacts to Jussie Smollett's arrest, a week after their 'GMA' interview

More: Jussie Smollett suspended from ‘Empire’ after prosecutors said he faked attack to boost salary</s>The bizarre case of Jussie Smollett , the star of Empire who was arrested on charges of filing a false police report, just got even stranger. ABC News reports all charges against the actor have now been dropped. Smollett was previously looking at spending up to three years in prison.

Today, all criminal charges against Jussie Smollett were dropped and his record has been wiped clean of the filing of this tragic complaint against him. Jussie was attacked by two people he was unable to identify on January 29th. He was a victim who was vilified and made to appear as a perpetrator as a result of false and inappropriate remarks made to the public causing an inappropriate rush to judgement.

The Cook Count State Attorney’s Office said in a statement:

After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smollett’s volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago, we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case.

This stunning twist does not resolve much of anything that occurred last January, when Smollett was allegedly attacked in Chicago by men in ski masks shouting slurs at him. Smollett went to the hospital, but no one was charged with the crime. Two brothers were arrested and later released in conjunction with the case; they reportedly told police they were paid to carry out the attack. Shortly thereafter, Smollett himself was charged with making false statements.

So what is the truth here? We still don’t know what really happened last January. ( TMZ claims the decision not to proceed with the case “is NOT sitting well with Chicago PD.”) The whole sordid drama probably won’t be reflected on Empire , but it would make a hell of a storyline on Law & Order: SVU.</s>US prosecutors dropped all charges Tuesday against television actor Jussie Smollett, who was accused of fabricating a racist and homophobic hate crime, his attorneys said.

“Today, all criminal charges against Jussie Smollett were dropped and his record has been wiped clean,” Tina Glandian and Patricia Brown Holmes said in a joint statement.

The 36-year-old actor had denied 16 felony counts of allegedly masterminding a false attack on the streets of downtown Chicago to gain publicity and win a bigger paycheck.

“He was a victim who was vilified and made to appear as a perpetrator as a result of false and inappropriate remarks made to the public causing an inappropriate rush to judgement,” the attorneys said.

READ ALSO: Actor Jussie Smollet Charged With Filing False Report Of Assault

Smollett was accused of sending himself a threatening letter and hiring two acquaintances to stage a street attack, complete with homophobic and racial slurs, while invoking Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan.

The case invoked widespread sympathy for the actor and outrage over the attack.

But the actor was later written out of the last two episodes of the Fox Network television program “Empire,” amid uproar over the accusations against him.

The producers of the program said they had no comment about the latest developments.</s>In a stunning reversal, Chicago prosecutors on Tuesday dropped all charges against "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett just weeks after he was indicted on 16 felony counts for allegedly filing a false police report.

Smollett, 36, was seen arriving at a Chicago courtroom around 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday for an emergency hearing. Following his court appearance, his attorneys released a statement saying that the actor's "record has been wiped clean of the filing of this tragic complaint against him."

"Jussie was attacked by two people he was unable to identify on January 29th. He was a victim who was vilified and made to appear as a perpetrator as a result of false and inappropriate remarks made to the public causing an inappropriate rush to judgement," the statement read.

"Jussie and many others were hurt by these unfair and unwarranted actions. This entire situation is a reminder that there should never be an attempt to prove a case in the court of public opinion. That is wrong. It is a reminder that a victim, in this case Jussie, deserves dignity and respect. Dismissal of charges against the victim in this case was the only just result."

Smollett was charged earlier this month by a grand jury of 16 felony counts of disorderly conduct for making a false report, according to a criminal complaint.

In February, he was charged with felony disorderly conduct after Chicago officers said he orchestrated the alleged hate crime in January on himself because he was unhappy with his salary on the show "Empire."

His role on the Fox series, where he played Jamal Lyon, was cut from the final episodes of the fifth season "to avoid further disruption on set," the show's executive producers said in a joint statement on Feb. 22.

Smollett had told police on January 29 that he was beaten up by two masked men while he was out getting food in Chicago's Streeterville neighborhood. The actor, who is black and gay, said his attackers hurled racist and homophobic slurs before punching him, putting a noose around his neck and pouring what he said was bleach on him.

Brothers Ola and Abel Osundairo were arrested in February as police investigated the alleged assault but were later released by police. They are not considered suspects. In a statement following the news of Smollett's charges being dropped, the brothers legal team said they are "still reviewing all legal stuff."

Smollett was then labeled as a suspect in his own alleged assault and arrested in February. Prosecutors and police said Smollett allegedly paid the Osundairo brothers $3,500 via a check to attack him and also gave them money to buy the supplies they would need to carry out the hoax crime.

He was released from jail after posting $10,000 of his $100,000 bond.

The Cook County State's Attorney's Office said Tuesday that after reviewing the case, Smollett's volunteer service and his willingness to turn his bond over to the city, "we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case."

His family celebrated the decision, saying in a statement that "truth has prevailed and he has been vindicated."

"Our son and brother is an innocent man whose name and character has been unjustly smeared," the family said. "Jussie is a son, a brother, a partner, a champion for human rights, and a genuine soul who would never be capable of what he was falsely accused of."

The actor and his attorneys have repeatedly denied the allegations against him. Mark Geragos, who represents Smollett, said in a statement to NBC News earlier this month that the indictment was "the prosecutorial overkill."

"This redundant and vindictive indictment is nothing more than a desperate attempt to make headlines in order to distract from the internal investigation launched to investigate the outrageous leaking of false information by the Chicago Police Department and the shameless and illegal invasion of Jussie's privacy in tampering with his medical records," Geragos said.</s>Charges for making up a hate crime were dropped for “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett, a Cook County court in Chicago ruled Tuesday.

“After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smollett’s volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago, we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case,” prosecutors said in a statement, CNN reported Tuesday.

A judge also reportedly granted a motion to seal the case, according to a tweet from CBS Chicago reporter Charlie De Mar.

“Today, all criminal charges against Jussie Smollett were dropped and his record has been wiped clean of the filing of this tragic complaint against him,” Smollett’s legal team said in a statement, ABC journalist Stephanie Walsh tweeted Tuesday. “Jussie was attacked by two people he was unable to identify on January 29th.”View image on Twitter

Smollett claimed he was attacked, doused with an unknown chemical substance and had a rope tied around his neck by two men who yelled “This is MAGA (Make America Great Again) country” at him on Jan. 29.Two men originally considered as “persons of interest” were arrested on suspicion of battery and assault Feb. 13. However, the Nigerian brothers were released without charges on Feb. 15, according to The Associated Press.The two brothers, Ola and Abel Osundairo, were allegedly paid by Smollett to help carry out the attack, CNN reported.Chicago Police classified Smollett as a suspect Feb. 20 for allegedly filing a false police report.

CPD spokesman Anthony Guglielmi tweeted Feb. 21 that Smollett was under arrest.

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Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected]</s>Charges against “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett have been dropped, his lawyers confirmed to Variety.

The actor had been indicted on 16 counts of filing a false police report, stemming from his alleged staging of a Jan. 29 hate attack.

“Today, all criminal charges against Jussie Smollett were dropped and his record has been wiped clean of the filing of this tragic complaint against him,” his legal team said in a statement to Variety. “Jussie was attacked by two people he was unable to identify on January 29th. He was a victim who was vilified and made to appear as a perpetrator as a result of false and inappropriate remarks made to the public causing an inappropriate rush to judgement. Jussie and many others were hurt by these unfair and unwarranted actions. This entire situation is a reminder that there should never be an attempt to prove a case in the court of public opinion. That is wrong. It is a reminder that a victim, in this case Jussie, deserves dignity and respect. Dismissal of charges against the victim in this case was the only just result. Jussie is relieved to have this situation behind him and is very much looking forward to getting back to focusing on his family, friends and career.”

The Cook County Attorney’s Office called the agreement reached an “appropriate resolution to this case” in a statement and cited the actor’s past charitable work in the community as factors in the dismissal. Smollett also forfeited his $10,000 bond payment to the city, per prosecutors. Law enforcement officials had criticized the actor for allegedly filing a false police report that required time and resources from the Chicago Police Department.

The Smollett family released a statement saying that “this morning truth has prevailed.”

“Our son and brother is an innocent man whose name and character has been unjustly smeared,” the statement read. “Jussie is a son, a brother, a partner, a champion for human rights, and a genuine soul who would never be capable of what he was falsely accused of. He was the victim of an assault and then falsely blamed for his own attack. This morning truth has prevailed and he has been vindicated. All charges have been dismissed and his record expunged (cleared).”

Representatives for 20th Century Fox Television, the production company behind Fox’s “Empire,” said it has no comment.

Smollett is expected to make a public statement soon.

The actor and musician claimed that he was the victim of an assault in the early morning hours of Jan. 29 in Chicago, stating two men hurled racist and homophobic slurs at him, beat him, poured bleach on him, and placed a rope around his neck. Smollett also said that the two men used the phrase “MAGA country” during the assault, a reference to President Donald Trump and his “Make America Great Again” slogan.

Investigators conducted an investigation which led them to believe that Smollett paid two acquaintances — brothers Olabinjo Osundairo and Abimbola Osundairo — to help him stage the attack. Police previously arrested the brothers, but they were later released without being charged.</s>CHICAGO (AP) — Attorneys said Tuesday that 16 felony charges accusing "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett of making a false police report about a racist and homophobic attack in downtown Chicago have been dropped.

Smollett's attorneys, Tina Glandian and Patricia Brown Holmes, released the following statement:

"Today, all criminal charges against Jussie Smollett were dropped and his record has been wiped clean of the filing of this tragic complaint against him. Jussie was attacked by two people he was unable to identify on January 29th. He was a victim who was vilified and made to appear as a perpetrator as a result of false and inappropriate remarks made to the public causing an inappropriate rush to judgment.

"Jussie and many others were hurt by these unfair and unwarranted actions. This entire situation is a reminder that there should never be an attempt to prove a case in the court of public opinion. That is wrong. It is a reminder that a victim, in this case Jussie, deserves dignity and respect. Dismissal of charges against the victim in this case was the only just result.

"Jussie is relieved to have this situation behind him and is very much looking forward to getting back to focusing on his family, friends and career."</s>Lawyers for Jussie Smollett say charges against him have been dropped

Lawyers for Empire actor Jussie Smollett, who was accused of lying to police about a racist and homophobic attack, say all the charges against him have been dropped.

The announcement comes following an "emergency" court appearance in Chicago, according to US media.

Smollett, 36, who is black and openly gay, had been accused of hiring two men to help stage an attack in the early hours of 29 January.

He pleaded not guilty to charges at a hearing earlier this month and had been due to appear in court again on 17 April until today's announcement.

In a statement, Smollett's attorneys Tina Glandian and Patricia Brown Holmes said his record had now "been wiped clean of the filing of this tragic complaint against him".

"Jussie was attacked by two people he was unable to identify on 29 January," they said. "He was a victim who was vilified and made to appear as a perpetrator as a result of false and inappropriate remarks made to the public causing an inappropriate rush to judgement.

"Jussie and many others were hurt by these unfair and unwarranted actions. This entire situation is a reminder that there should never be an attempt to prove a case in the court of public opinion. That is wrong.

"it is a reminder that a victim, in this case Jussie, deserves dignity and respect.

"Dismissal of charges against the victim in this case was the only just result.

"Jussie is relieved to have this situation behind him and is very much looking forward to getting back to focusing on his family, friends and career."

A spokeswoman for Cook County prosecutors did not immediately respond to messages requesting comment.

In his report to police, Smollett said he had been attacked on his way home from a sandwich shop, by two masked men who shouted racial and anti-gay slurs. The men poured bleach on him, beat him and looped a rope around his neck, the actor said.

He claimed they shouted, "This is MAGA country", a reference to President Donald Trump's Make America Great Again campaign slogan.

But police and prosecutors accused him of making a false report because he was unhappy with his pay on Fox show Empire, and wanted to promote his career.

Officers said Smollett paid brothers Abimbola "Abel" and Olabinjo "Ola" Osundairo $3,500 (£2,650) to carry out the attack. One of them had worked on Empire.

A lawyer for the brothers had said they agreed to help Smollett because of their friendship and the sense that he was helping their careers.

Police have also said that before the attack, Smollett sent a letter that threatened him to the Chicago studio where Empire is shot.

The FBI, which is investigating that letter, has declined to comment on the investigation.</s>All sixteen felony counts against Jussie Smollett have been dropped. CNN:



All charges against actor Jussie Smollett -- who had been accused of staging a hate crime against himself in Chicago and filing a false police report about it -- have been dropped, prosecutors and his attorneys said Tuesday.

The move is a dramatic reversal in a case in which police alleged just last month that the 36-year-old "Empire" actor hired two acquaintances to attack him along a Chicago street in late January to promote his career.

The Cook County State's Attorney's Office didn't immediately explain why the 16 counts of felony disorderly conduct were dropped, except to say it came after reviewing the case's facts, and in view of Smollett's agreement to forfeit his $10,000 bond. Parts of the case will be sealed, one of Smollett's attorneys said.

"After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smollett's volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago, we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case," the state's attorney's office said in a statement.
All charges against American actor Jussie Smollett for allegedly filing a false police report are dropped.