Jussie Smollett expected to get a deferred prosecution deal

[AKing]

Source: Chicago Sun-Times

“Empire” actor Jussie Smollett is expected to receive a deferred prosecution deal at a hearing Tuesday at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse.

Details of the deal were expected to be revealed during the court hearing.

Smollett and his lawyers will speak to reporters after the hearing, a spokeswoman said.

Smollett on March 14 pleaded not guilty to charges he staged a hate-crime attack against himself in Streeterville.

Read more: https://chicago.suntimes.com/entertainment/empire-jussie-smollett-emergency-court-hearing/

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What the hell is a "deferred prosecution"? Get out of jail free card?

[dalton99a]

1. No trial, charges dismissed, record expunged

after completion of the program

[whathehell]

30. The privilege of wealth and celebrity..

Just sayin'.

[dsc]

2. It usually entails that if for a period of time

you stay out of legal trouble, then you have no punishment and no conviction. If you do get in trouble though, you are sentenced to a specific period of time. You have to at least put in a nolo plea usually.

[jberryhill]

3. .

http://lmgtfy.com/?iie=1&q=deferred+prosecution

[PoliticAverse]

4. It's a thing you can get when you're a celebrity. n/t

[cannabis_flower]

10. Actually, it's often an option

If you don't have a previous record. Some jurisdictions call it deferred adjudication. It usually is offered for minor drug crimes. I got one for a no insurance ticket when I was younger. In some places you might need a good lawyer but I was offered it by the court without needing a lawyer.

[Mosby]

15. No, his charges were dropped.

What you and others are referring to are DIVERSION programs.

https://www.maricopacountyattorney.org/303/Diversion-Programs

[BumRushDaShow]

5. WaPo breaking

Charges dropped against ‘Empire’ actor Jussie Smollett, who was accused of lying about a hate-crime attack, his attorney says


By Washington Post Staff
March 26 at 11:21 AM

Smollett, who is black and openly gay, told Chicago police in late January that he had been attacked by two people in a widely publicized incident. He was arrested in February and charged with 16 felony counts.

This is a developing story. It will be updated.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/style/wp/2019/03/26/charges-dropped-against-empire-actor-jussie-smollett-who-was-accused-of-lying-about-a-hate-crime-attack-his-attorney-says/?utm_term=.2e754cdf3583

[demmiblue]

6. Jussie Smollett: Charges dropped against Empire actor

Prosecutors dropped charges against actor Jussie Smollett on Tuesday, about two weeks after he pleaded not guilty to filing a false police report, multiple outlets report.

Smollett was accused of falsifying a police report after he claimed he was attacked by two men who yelled "Trump country." Police claimed he faked the attack because he was upset with his salary on the TV show Empire.

https://www.wxyz.com/news/national/jussie-smollett-charges-dropped-against-empire-actor

[Opel_Justwax]

7. First time offenders get a deffered prosecution plea deal

It is very common as long as the crime is not violent. I don't support a lock them up and then throw away the key mentality for non-violent offenders.

[House of Roberts]

9. Smollett's attorneys emphasized to the media

'this was NOT a plea deal', per MSNBC.

[obamanut2012]

11. Good try, but this was not a plea deal

[oldsoftie]

14. No, its a sweetheart deal; 10k to walk. None of US would get that deal.

[exboyfil]

26. Many may never get charged

Look at the three women in Detroit that got a man arrested because he didn't like him gardening in an abandoned park.

His alleged crime was filing a false police report. He was overcharged from that point as far as I can tell because he was a celebrity.

https://www.metrotimes.com/table-and-bar/archives/2019/03/04/detroit-man-sues-three-white-women-who-called-police-on-him-for-gardening-while-black

Celebrity cuts both ways. I have no idea whether he did it, but, if he did, he should have been prosecuted like any other person. That would not have involved the overcharging. I wonder during that process if the police acted improperly.

[Opel_Justwax]

22. He forfeited a $10k bond.

The legal problems are over. I hope people here are not advocating for the unnecessary persecution of a gay, African american.

[oldsoftie]

27. Yes, a payoff. I'm advocating for truth. If he didnt do it , why havent the brothers been charged?

Being black and gay has zero to do with it.
Hundreds of manhours were WASTED on this nonsense. Nobody gets all charges dropped and their bond kept unless there's a DEAL. If you're innocent, you get your money back.

[marble falls]

8. Fair enough. Sounds like justice to me. I hope he can put his life back together ...

he deserves more than being a being a punchline.

[Pisces]

18. He's an idiot and deserves to be a punchline.

[oldsoftie]

12. So if he DIDNT set it up, where are the charges against the brothers who "attacked" him?

What bullshit.
All that police time and money wasted and he'll walk away saying he never had anything to do with it

[AKing]

13. He is forfeiting his bond. That doesn't happen when all charges are dropped. This is..

some sort of sweetheart deal. It also wouldn't surprise me if the 2 brothers who allegedly were paid to attack wouldn't testify in return for a payoff down the line.

[LovingA2andMI]

16. Justice with Money....

Is much different than those without. Moral of this story.

[Pisces]

17. Upside down world. He's guilty, Trumps guilty. The ignorant and inept inherit the earth.

[madville]

20. Right?

The Chicago Police Superintendent and Rahm are probably gonna go scorched Earth on those prosecutors in their press conference later.

[demmiblue]

24. You called it:

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[madville]

19. Hopefully the FBI will investigate this hate crime

Scary to think his attackers are still on the loose right?............

He wouldn't lie to the FBI in an interview right?

[oldsoftie]

28. Yep. just like the real killers in the OJ Simpson case. I think he's STILL looking for them.

[Honeycombe8]

21. It's good to be a celebrity. Ask Robert Downey, Jr. and O J. and R Kelly. nt

[oldsoftie]

31. Hit the nail on the head. nt

[matt819]

23. Sure are a lot of assumptions here

Charges were dropped. No plea deal, no diversion program.

I don't see how you can conclude it's because he's a celebrity.

Maybe it's like Trump. Police know he did something but can't prove it, so charges dropped.

Maybe it's like innocence. He didn't do anything wrong. He never changed his story.

Granted, this has been weird from the get-go probably because the public enjoys this kind of stuff. But whatever the reason - can't prove it or just didn't do it - it's over.

[madville]

25. That State Attorney still says he lied

"First Assistant State's Attorney Joseph Magats told reporters he still believed Smollett filed a false police report. He said prosecutors "stand behind the investigation and the facts," adding, "this was not an exoneration."

[oldsoftie]

29. So the police chief is lying when he says Smollett brokered "a deal"?

[Sneederbunk]

32. Makes about as much sense as the Barr Memo.