The charges may have been dropped againstJussie Smollett, but the City of Chicago is not quite done with the actor just yet.
On Thursday, just two days aftercharges were droppedagainst Smollett, 36, city lawyers issued a demand letter to him on behalf of Chicago and their police department requesting that the actor pay $130,106.15 to make up for overtime hours that were spent on the investigation.
He also demanded that theEmpireactor pay back the money within 7 days or risk being prosecuted. The actor’s defense team, meanwhile, has made it clear that Smollett will be fighting this.
“Over two dozen detectives and police officers participated in the investigation, ultimately spending weeks investigating your false claims, including a substantial number of overtime hours,” it read, adding that Smollett allegedly “expended resources that could have been used for other investigations.”
Jussie Smollett.Stephen Lovekin/Variety/REX/Shutterstock
Based on video and physical evidence, as well as conducted interviews, Siskel said, “The Chicago police investigation revealed that you knowingly filed a false police report and had in fact orchestrated your own attack.”
Siskel also threatened to take legal action if Smollett does not pay the costs within 7 days. Though the actor would not receive jail time for the penalty, he could face a minimum fine of $500,000 or three times the amount of damages.
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In response to the city’s letter, Smollett’s attorneys released a statement to PEOPLE and made it clear that he does not plan on paying the requested expenses.
“It is the Mayor and the Police Chief who owe Jussie – owe him an apology – for dragging an innocent man’s character through the mud. Jussie has paid enough,” a rep of Smollett’s defense team said.
Jussie Smollett.Leon Bennett/Getty
On Tuesday, prosecutors announced they weredropping charges against Smollettfor allegedly staging a hate crime against himself in January, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office confirms to PEOPLE.
Both Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago police superintendent Eddie T. Johnson have publicly criticized the dropping of charges against Smollett, with Emanuel calling it “an unbelievable whitewash of justice.”
“It’s immoral, unethical, [and] wrong,” Emanuel said at a Tuesday press conference, adding that he believes the actor perpetrated a hoax, citing a grand jury’s indictment of Smollett as evidence. “How dare him. … Is there no decency in this man?”
Paul Beaty/AP/Shutterstock
Meanwhile, First Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney Joseph Magats, the lead prosector in the case, has defended his decision — though Magats did tell CBS Chicago that the decision did not absolve Smollett.
“I do not believe he is innocent,” Magats said.
Theo Wargo/Getty
Smollett has maintained his innocence throughout, saying in brief remarks to reporters at the Cook County courthouse Tuesday that he’s “been truthful and consistent on every single level since day one.”
“I would not be my mother’s son if I was capable of doing what I was accused of,” Smollett said.
He had faced16 counts of disorderly conduct for allegedly fabricating details of an assaultthat occurred around 2 a.m. local time on January 29 on a street in his Chicago neighborhood.
Johnson alleged that Smollett’s motive was to attract attention and sympathy with the goal to boost his salary on Fox’sEmpire.
source: people.com
