Despite pleading his case to the media, there’s one organization that “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett won’t talk to personally from here on out — the Chicago Police Department (CPD).
Following reports that dispute Smollett’s allegations that he was the victim of a racist and homophobic hate crime, attorneys for Smollett say the actor has no plans to personally talk with law enforcement on Monday and the foreseeable future.
“There are no plans for Jussie Smollett to meet with Chicago police today,” a spokesperson for Smollett’s attorneys, Victor Henderson and Todd Pugh, stated in an email, according to CBS 2 - Chicago. “Smollett’s attorneys will keep an active dialogue going with Chicago police on his behalf. We have no further comment today.”
But Smollett had no problem sitting down with ABC News’ Robin Roberts for an exclusive interview in which he maintains that he was the victim of an alleged hate crime.
Here’s the ABC News interview with Smollett:
CBS 2 - Chicago also reported that the CPD is playing it safe with the Smollett case, indicating that “Smollett is not considered a suspect, detectives just want to interview him to corroborate the new information they received from the two men who were released.”
As of right now, if we go by Smollett’s attorneys statement, the actor will only be talking to police through his lawyers. Would a possible conversation with police bring up direct questions that ABC’s Roberts either asked in a veiled manor or didn’t bother asking at all?