FILE – In this March 26, 2019, file photo, actor Jussie Smollett smiles and waves to supporters before leaving Cook County Court after his charges were dropped in Chicago. Two brothers, Olabinjo Osundairo and Abimbola Osundairo, who said they helped Smollett stage a racist and homophobic attack against himself are suing the “Empire” actor’s attorneys for defamation. A lawyer for the brothers filed the federal lawsuit Tuesday, April 23, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty, File)
CHICAGO (AP) — Jussie Smollett’s publicist says the actor doesn’t intend to be at a hearing on whether a special prosecutor will be appointed to investigate prosecutors’ dismissal of charges against him.
Smollett was charged with felony disorderly conduct over allegations he staged a racist and anti-gay attack on himself in January in downtown Chicago. Publicist Hilary Rosen’s comments came as Smollett’s attorney filed a motion to quash retired appellate judge Sheila O’Brien’s request to have Smollett appear Thursday in Chicago.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Smollett’s attorney argues that the actor has moved out of Chicago and returning would force him to take “additional security measures.”
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx is fighting the motion for a special prosecutor and trying to quash O’Brien’s subpoena for her to appear at the hearing.
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