Why did prosecutors drop all charges against Jussie Smollett?



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The Mayor of Chicago and the Superintendent of Police still think that the actor "Empire" has organized an attack on himself and even against the main prosecutor of the case. says that he still believes that Smollett has committed a crime. So, how is Smollett released from all charges?

Here's what several CNN analysts had to say about the latest twist in the case and the possible reasoning behind it.

The investigators had filmed the men involved in the alleged assault by purchasing a ski mask, sunglasses and other items. They also had a check that Smollett had used to pay for one of them.

But no surveillance camera caught the incident and one of the men was actually Smollett's personal trainer, the attorneys said.

If prosecutors saw gaps in their case, they had to do "the best possible in the interests of justice".

"I would like to give them the benefit of the doubt and believe that they have examined the evidence and that they did not think they could prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt," said Sara Azari, defense counsel for the defense of criminal justice.

Was he worried by the fact that he had already been tried by the court of public opinion?

Smollett's transformation of victim into a suspect in the reported attack made headlines in the national newspapers. Celebrities and politicians have fervently supported their support and others have questioned the assertions of the actor.

Meanwhile, the police found themselves in a difficult situation, Azari said. They quickly tried their case in the court of public opinion.

While Smollett was accused of producing a fake police report, Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson famously annoyed him at a press conference for wasting police resources.

He also pointed out that the officers were "pissed off" when they learned of Smollett's so-called real motive. Authorities said he had organized the attack because he was unhappy with his salary.

For Joey Jackson, CNN's legal analyst and defense attorney, police actions were an overtaking.

"How does he get to a fair trial when the Superintendent runs on 'Good Morning America'," he said.

"You wonder if they played their hand too much," said Jackson. "That is, they had just pursued him so relentlessly over anything that could poison the jury."

The brothers were not credible?

The police alleged that Smollett hired two brothers and paid them $ 3,500 to organize the attack. Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo were arrested last month after the police tracked the taxis and carpool cars they used before the attack.

The men finally confessed to the alleged conspiracy and appeared before a grand jury, but were released without charge.

Laura Coates, a former federal prosecutor, said the Osundairo brothers could have played a role in the prosecutor's decision to drop Smollett's charges.

"Perhaps it is the two brothers who, in February and March of last year, had not yet reached an agreement of plea or immunity," Coates said. "They may have retracted, which means they've changed their tone, so how do you prove it?"

CNN contacted the brothers' lawyer for comments.

Earlier this month, the brothers said that they had "immense regret" for their involvement in the incident.

Did they request a deferred prosecution instead?

The Cook County State Attorney's Office on Tuesday dropped all charges against Smollett, but he did not reveal much of the reason why he had dropped out of the 16 heads of state. charge for disorderly behavior.

The senior prosecutor stated that he had examined the facts and considered Smollett's voluntary service in the community, as well as his willingness to waive his $ 10,000 bond. He also noted that Smollett had no previous crime and was not a danger to the community.

"For me, this sounds like a delayed lawsuit," said Coates, the former federal prosecutor.

"It's pretty common," she said. "Prosecutors considering considering the evidence decide that a criminal solution or criminal prosecution may not be the most effective way to get justice."

Speaking to reporters, Smollett's lawyer, Patricia Holmes, denied that the prosecutors' decision to drop the charges was part of an agreement or prosecution. delayed.

Senior prosecutor, Joseph Magats, the First Assistant Attorney, told CNN affiliate WLS that dropping those charges did not mean that the actor was innocent.

When asked if he considered Smollett as innocent, the prosecutor responded to WLS: "No.

"This is not a celebrity justice.This case is well over publicized so that a prosecutor's office can hand over an exemption gift to Jussie Smollett," Azari said.

Did they have a secret agreement?

The secrecy surrounding the details of the sudden rejection of Smollett's accusations has left some people demanding greater transparency from the prosecutor's office and has led to speculation.

A judge agreed to seal the court case of Smollett at the request of his lawyers and without opposition from prosecutors.

Johnson, who had expressed disappointment at the dismissal, criticized the move, suggesting that defense lawyers had negotiated an agreement to "circumvent the judicial system."

"Nothing has changed if it is that this guy has arrived at the state prosecutor's office and that he has come up with a devious agreement that threw the mayor and the police department under the bus. " with Johnson.

Other legal analysts said that the decision to keep the documents confidential would prevent the community from learning what had really happened.

"As an American people, we have the right to know why these charges have been withdrawn.If Jussie tells the truth, we should know it," said human rights lawyer Areva Martin.

Others, like Cheryl Dorsey, a retired sergeant from the Los Angeles Police Department, said the truth might come otherwise.

"We will know that this statement by the police is true when Jussie's very large legal team does not sue Chicago PD for libel or slander," she said.

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