Jussie Smollett pleads not guilty to new charges in criminal court in Chicago
CHICAGO _ Almost a year to the day after Jussie Smollett was first brought up on charges accusing him of staging a bizarre hate crime on himself, the former "Empire" actor pleaded not guilty in a new criminal case connected to the incident.
Smollett pleaded not guilty to six counts of disorderly conduct before Judge James Linn. A new indictment earlier this month alleged Smollett made four separate false reports to Chicago police in the aftermath of the Jan. 29, 2019, incident near Smollett's residence in Chicago's tony Streeterville neighborhood.
Smollett's lawyers had requested a delay in the arraignment since they have filed paperwork with the Illinois Supreme Court regarding the case and a motion in Linn's courtroom to dismiss the indictment on double-jeopardy grounds.
Linn did not delay the proceedings and instead released Smollett on a $20,000 individual bond and ordered him to return to court March 18.
Smollett arrived in a dark SUV Monday with an entourage that included his lawyer, Tina Glandian. As they walked silently up the courthouse steps, several cameramen tripped as they backed up, creating a small pileup. Smollett did not respond to questions shouted by reporters as he made his way into court.
_ Chicago Tribune
