Lawyers in Chicago’s lawsuit seeking $130,000 from “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett are anticipating a short trial, possibly as early as next summer.
That’s according to a five-page status report filed in federal court Thursday that also notes Smollett is considering legal action against the city “for their conduct underlying the arrest and their conduct thereafter.”
The earliest the city’s lawsuit could be ready for trial is June 2020, according to the status report. The trial would likely last two or three days.
The filing also indicates lawyers for the city and the actor discussed a settlement, “but those discussions are not ongoing.”
Chicago hopes to recover $130,106 for the investigation it conducted after Smollett made the allegedly false claim that he’d been the victim of a racist and homophobic beating on Jan. 29.
