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The reports, published by the police following media requests under the Freedom of Information Act, do not appear to provide much of an important revelation about what the investigators claimed to be a hoax that the actor "Empire "committed with the help of two acquaintances – brothers Olabinjo Osundairo and Abimbola Osundairo.
But the 61 pages recently published shed light on investigators' interactions with their brothers and sisters – the police set them up in a hotel for days because reporters were investigating their homes and investigators continued to interrogate them there. before a grand jury declared the accused of Smollett – as well as some other details.
It was not clear right away if any other documents would be published. Some names and addresses are redacted, but previous details published by the police, as well as an unexpurgated mention of one of the brothers, clearly indicate that the Osundairos are mentioned here. CNN was unable to reach them.
Smollett pleaded not guilty to the charges before they were dropped, and he denied having organized the attack. Here are some examples of these documents:
Police kept the Osundairo brothers in a hotel before Smollett was charged
We previously knew that the police – while she was investigating Smollett's assertion that two disguised people were shouting homosexual and racist slurs, was hitting him, was bleaching her and was passing her the rope around his neck – arrested the Osundairo brothers on February 13, interrogated them and then released on February 15.
Recently released documents say that, from February 15 to 21, the Chicago Police installed Osundairos at the Chicago South Loop Hotel. This is because the journalists, having discovered who the Osundairos were, were looking for them after their release.
"It has been suggested that men be placed in a hotel until media frenzy alleviates," says one of the reports. The men moved into separate rooms and the Chicago police provided "24-hour security and surveillance."
Police also provided food throughout their stay, the report says.
The FBI asked to see a search warrant for Smollett's iCloud account
An FBI agent asked the Chicago police for a copy of a search warrant for Smollett's Apple iCloud account.
Very little about the FBI's involvement in this case has been published. In mid-February, the US Postal Inspection Service said it was helping the FBI investigate a suspicious letter to Smollett that arrived on January 22 at Cinespace Studios in Chicago, where " Empire "is filmed".
The letter contained racial, anti-gay and political language, as well as white powder and a drawing of a man attached to a tree, police said. The powder has turned out to be an over-the-counter drug, police said.
One of the brothers says that he poured bleach on Smollett with a bottle of hot sauce
Police continued to question the Osundairo brothers while they were at the hotel, according to the documents.
During a conversation, a detective showed one of the brothers the image of a bottle of hot sauce. Police found the bottle on February 7 during their investigation, according to the report.
The questioned brother "said that it was fine from the bottle that he had filled with bleach and poured on Smollett," says one of the reports.
Brother said he felt good about testifying
The police took the Osundairo brothers to a court building on February 20 – a day before Smollett was finally charged – to testify before a grand jury.
After the testimony of one of the brothers, he told two detectives "that he was happy that he was telling the truth, while believing that the Chicago police might want to charge him." ", according to one of the reports.
As previously reported, the police had publicly stated that the Osundairos were no longer suspects.
On Tuesday, after prosecutors had announced that they were abandoning charges against Smollett, the lawyer representing the Osundairo brothers had told CNN, although a publicist, that the two brothers were ready to testify in any criminal proceedings in the Jussie Smollett case.
Smollett was separated from other detainees on the day of his indictment
Smollett, learning that he was going to be charged, went to the police on the morning of February 21st.
"When asked if he would like to talk to the police" in anticipation of his bail hearing later in the day, "Smollett declined to answer questions," says one. reports.
Smollett was taken to a detention center where he was searched, fingerprinted and photographed.
He was then taken by an undercover police vehicle with tinted windows in Cook County Jail. On the way, he was offered breakfast and something to drink, but he refused, according to the report.
In the prison's reception area, the actor stayed in the car – at the request of an officer of the county jail – while the jailers cleaned the reception area of the other inmates.
A detective asked the prison officer, on behalf of Smollett, if the actor could be lodged alone until his appearance in the court of obligations later in the day. The agent has accepted.
After the reception area was emptied, Smollett entered.
"At no time, while Smollett was in custody (of the Chicago police), Smollett was handcuffed, placed in a cell or subjected to the media," according to the report.
Brad Parks and Ryan Young of CNN contributed to this report.
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