Chicago Mayor, Police Chief Slam Justice Department for Dropping Charges Against Jussie Smollett

Cook County State Attorney’s Office, in a statement about the dropping of charges against Jussie Smollett, said that the action was a just resolution and appropriate resolution to the case.

The statement, according to CBS News, read:

After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smollett’s volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago, we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case.

Speaking on the case, Chicago Mayor, Rahm Emanuel, said the resolution was “a whitewash of justice” and that it shows you can beat the system if you are rich and influential.

Him Chicago Police Department Superintendent Eddie Johnson spoke on the dropping of charges

Emanuel said:

Is there no decency in this man?

A grand jury saw the evidence (and) realized this was a hoax — a hoax on the city, a hoax on hate crimes, a hoax on people of good values who actually were empathetic at first.

And he used that empathy for only one reason … himself.

This is a whitewash of justice, sends a clear message that if you’re in a position of influence and power you’ll get treated one way, other people will be treated another way.

There is no accountability, then, in the system. It is wrong, full stop.

Our officers did hard work day in and day out, countless hours, working to unwind what actually happened that night. The city saw its reputation dragged through the mud.

According to CNN, Johnson said:

If you want to say you’re innocent of the situation, then you take your day in court. At the end of the day, it’s Mr. Smollett who committed this hoax, period.

If he wanted to clear his name, the way to do that was in a court of law so that everybody could see the evidence.

Jussie Smollett reacting to the development said he had always been truthful and consistent.