The actor told police last month he was attacked in Chicago in the early hours of the morning by two masked men who shouted "racial and homophobic slurs." Police said Smollett described the assailants punching him in the face, pouring a chemical on him and wrapping a rope around his neck.
Now, Chicago police want to speak to the actor again after two brothers claimed they were paid by the actor to orchestrate the attack.
In another development Tuesday, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx announced she was recusing herself from the investigation.
“Out of an abundance of caution, the decision to recuse herself was made to address potential questions of impartiality based upon familiarity with potential witnesses in the case,” Tandra Simonton, a Foxx spokeswoman, said in a statement. Simonton declined to comment on which potential witnesses are referred to in the statement.
Here's what we know as of now:
FBI is looking into whether Smollett had a hand in threatening letter
The FBI is probing whether Smollett had any role in sending a threatening letter that was mailed to the actor at the Chicago studio where "Empire" is filmed a week before the alleged assault, a federal government official who has been briefed on the investigation told USA TODAY.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/...on/2903410002/