Smollett charges dropped

[T-Bone]

Rahm's quotes made me roll my eyes.
"This is a whitewash of justice," Mayor Rahm Emanuel told reporters, with Johnson at his side. "Where is the accountability in the system? You cannot have, because of a person's position, one set of rules apply to them and another set of rules apply to everybody else."

In light of the Sterling Bay / Lincoln Yards the irony is great. 

[warriorchick]

I'm candidly appalled by what happened. I get that an ordinary, non-celebrity citizen who pulled a stunt like Mr. Smollett did would under similar circumstances get a relatively lenient treatment by the courts.

However, the amount of investment the Chicago Police Department made in investigating the case was significant. What happens to that cost? The beleaguered Chicago taxpayers pay it or, as Eddie Johnson eloquently said, it is time taken away from investigating real crime. We have some real problems in Chicago and we really don't need some Hollywood charlatan forcing the police department to take time to investigate a joke.

More importantly, why were the records sealed? What is the State's Attorney, the judge and the defendant's counsel hiding from public view? Given what John Kass calls the "Chicago Way," one naturally is led to wonder what on earth is so sensitive in those files that nobody wants them seen. Or who was paid?

Sadly, Cook County has the nickname, "Crook County." It's days like yesterday that give the city and the county a very, very bad reputation.

There are 18 still-unsolved murders that happened during the time a crap-ton of cops were assigned to investigate Smollett's case.  That's what angers me the most.

[forgetful]

The judge is up for re-election next year...my prediction is he wins in a landslide.

JS good pals with JJ, BO and that's all that is needed perhaps?

You are overthinking this, and over politicizing it. One of the big key pieces of evidence was two witnesses who reportedly said they were hired to do this. The problem is, on the stand they said otherwise. Said the payments were for them as trainers to train him.

Very likely that the prosecutors office realized that even though he was guilty, if the two key witnesses recanted their story, and are now saying they were not involved and were paid as trainers (with evidence to support their being hired as trainers), they realized that this was going to waste a lot of money for an acquittal.

[#UnleashSean]

This has been up 3 days without a lock. Good job scoop.

[Cheeks]

You are overthinking this, and over politicizing it. One of the big key pieces of evidence was two witnesses who reportedly said they were hired to do this. The problem is, on the stand they said otherwise. Said the payments were for them as trainers to train him.

Very likely that the prosecutors office realized that even though he was guilty, if the two key witnesses recanted their story, and are now saying they were not involved and were paid as trainers (with evidence to support their being hired as trainers), they realized that this was going to waste a lot of money for an acquittal.

You are overthinking this.  Foxx is literally sending out memos internally to ask for proxy type examples and claiming this was diversion justice approach which is used for things like drunk driving, not for something like this. 

[Jon]

If it looks like a steaming pile of sh1t, feels like a steaming pile of sh1t, and tastes like a steaming pile of sh1t it's probably a genuine steaming pile of sh1t

[CreightonWarrior]

Next idea: Why doesn't the City of Chicago tabulate the costs of the investigation in terms of police manpower and file a civil suit against Mr. Smollett personally? Use the corporation counsel for a litigator if you want a low budget case or retain one of the city's high powered legal counsels if you want to win and find buried treasure.

Can't hurt and would send a strong message. Did a great job of dealing with OJ!

It appears it was suggested that JS pay up and in response his lawyer doubled down on his innocence...ok

[Lighthouse 84]

The judge is up for re-election next year...my prediction is he wins in a landslide.

JS good pals with JJ, BO and that's all that is needed perhaps?

In Cook County, a Democratic judge can be rated Not Qualified and still be re-elected in a landslide.  He or she can be the worst judge on the planet (Cynthia Brim) and get re-elected in Cook County.  Steven Watkins was rated qualified in 2014.  Of course he wins in a landslide.

[dgies9156]

There are 18 still-unsolved murders that happened during the time a crap-ton of cops were assigned to investigate Smollett's case.  That's what angers me the most.

Uh, yes. How many more people might die because the Chicago Police were diverting resources from murder investigations to deal with this Hollywood charlatan.

[JWags85]

Rahm's quotes made me roll my eyes.
"This is a whitewash of justice," Mayor Rahm Emanuel told reporters, with Johnson at his side. "Where is the accountability in the system? You cannot have, because of a person's position, one set of rules apply to them and another set of rules apply to everybody else."

In light of the Sterling Bay / Lincoln Yards the irony is great.

Whats interesting to me, speaking of Rahm, reading stuff today about given who Rahm's brother is, arguably one of the top 3-5 most powerful people in Hollywood, Jussie's going to find it mighty hard to find work.  The general public may forget, but grudges that ruined careers have been fiercely held over much less than someone embarrassing/enraging your brother in this manner.

[DegenerateDish]

Whats interesting to me, speaking of Rahm, reading stuff today about given who Rahm's brother is, arguably one of the top 3-5 most powerful people in Hollywood, Jussie's going to find it mighty hard to find work.  The general public may forget, but grudges that ruined careers have been fiercely held over much less than someone embarrassing/enraging your brother in this manner.

As powerful as Rahm is, Ari is a force.

[reinko]

Uh, yes. How many more people might die because the Chicago Police were diverting resources from murder investigations to deal with this Hollywood charlatan.

You have no idea what you are talking about.

[Cheeks]

As powerful as Rahm is, Ari is a force.

You ain't kidding.  He is something else and to be in a room with him is hard to describe.  Talk about someone that could sell ice to eskimos....he is something.  I'm not very happy with him last week and we let him know that, but he is a tour de force for sure.

[Cheeks]

It appears it was suggested that JS pay up and in response his lawyer doubled down on his innocence...ok

His attorney now claims the perps may have been in white face....you know, at 2:00am in Chicago with -10 temps randomly carrying a noose and bleach while hanging out by the subway.   

[warriorchick]

His attorney now claims the perps may have been in white face....you know, at 2:00am in Chicago with -10 temps randomly carrying a noose and bleach while hanging out by the subway.   

Bleach stored in a repurposed hot sauce bottle.

[Warriors4ever]

This was like one of the worst made-up crimes ever.
You can't blame the judge when the State walks in and says they are dropping the charge, you can't force them to put on witnesses. The 'emergency hearing' part of this is unfathomable. And state law  actually allows immediate sealing (not expungement) of acquittals and dismissals, but they really aren't very common and these were put into effect with lightning speed.

[StillAWarrior]

This was like one of the worst made-up crimes ever.
You can't blame the judge when the State walks in and says they are dropping the charge, you can't force them to put on witnesses. The 'emergency hearing' part of this is unfathomable. And state law  actually allows immediate sealing (not expungement) of acquittals and dismissals, but they really aren't very common and these were put into effect with lightning speed.

The Cook County State's Attorney who so blatantly screwed this thing up now claims that the file was sealed "inadvertently" and will be unsealed.  To my knowledge she hasn't offered much explanation on why, if sealing the record was inadvertent, they were initially fighting media who were trying to obtain records.

I suspect Foxx realizes that she might be in for a little bit of a rough road...or, at least she would be if this wasn't all happening in Chicago.  She may be wishing she had recused herself (and her office) in a "legal sense" rather than just "colloquially."  She's shockingly incompetent.

[StillAWarrior]

You are overthinking this, and over politicizing it. One of the big key pieces of evidence was two witnesses who reportedly said they were hired to do this. The problem is, on the stand they said otherwise. Said the payments were for them as trainers to train him.

Are you speculating on this?  Or did you see this reported somewhere?

[warriorchick]

The Cook County State's Attorney who so blatantly screwed this thing up now claims that the file was sealed "inadvertently" and will be unsealed.  To my knowledge she hasn't offered much explanation on why, if sealing the record was inadvertent, they were initially fighting media who were trying to obtain records.

I suspect Foxx realizes that she might be in for a little bit of a rough road...or, at least she would be if this wasn't all happening in Chicago.  She may be wishing she had recused herself (and her office) in a "legal sense" rather than just "colloquially."  She's shockingly incompetent.

A couple of fun facts:

George Soros gave $400K to a Super Pac affiliated with Kim Foxx.  An aide of Michelle Obama has admitted that she reached out to Kim Foxx about the Smollett case on behalf of her boss.

It's the Chicago way.

[reinko]

A couple of fun facts:

George Soros gave $400K to a Super Pac affiliated with Kim Foxx.  An aide of Michelle Obama has admitted that she reached out to Kim Foxx about the Smollett case on behalf of her boss.

It's the Chicago way.

Good grief.  Soros and Obama conspiracies?  What's next QAnon's role in this??

[Cheeks]

Bleach stored in a repurposed hot sauce bottle.

That's where everyone keeps their bleach....in Chicago

[Cheeks]

Good grief.  Soros and Obama conspiracies?  What's next QAnon's role in this??

She's not wrong about MO, that already reported, lots of photos, etc.  Tribune has mentioned it several times as has the LA Times.  No idea if George part is true.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/03/27/jussie-smollett-investigation-ex-michelle-obama-aide-tina-tchen/3294546002/

[reinko]

She's not wrong about MO, that already reported, lots of photos, etc.  Tribune has mentioned it several times as has the LA Times.  No idea if George part is true.

Sure...the fact she is former aide to MO is inconsequential at best, and dangerous at worst.  We literally just had a dude mailing pipe bombs to folks like Soros and the Obamas because he was convinced they were part of a cabal and a danger to us all...and using inferences like these only feed folks who are deranged and ill (not calling you deranged or ill Chick).

[Cheeks]

Sure...the fact she is former aide to MO is inconsequential at best, and dangerous at worst.  We literally just had a dude mailing pipe bombs to folks like Soros and the Obamas because he was convinced they were part of a cabal and a danger to us all...and using inferences like these only feed folks who are deranged and ill (not calling you deranged or ill Chick).

Well, the optics of this one are bad.  Yes, I know it happens and has happened since the dawn of time.

[muwarrior69]

A couple of fun facts:

George Soros gave $400K to a Super Pac affiliated with Kim Foxx.  An aide of Michelle Obama has admitted that she reached out to Kim Foxx about the Smollett case on behalf of her boss.

It's the Chicago way.

I'm not outraged that the charges were dropped, but I am outraged that because the charges were dropped he believes he has been vindicated, did nothing wrong, and is still a victim and did not lie about the whole episode. Unbelievable!