Police: 'Empire' Actor Jussie Smollet Staged Attack To 'Promote His Career'
CHICAGO (AP) — "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett staged a racist and homophobic attack because he was unhappy about his salary and wanted to promote his career, Chicago's police superintendent said Thursday.
Before the attack, the Santa Rosa-born Smollett also sent a threatening letter that targeted himself to the studio in Chicago where "Empire" is shot, Superintendent Eddie Johnson said.
Smollett turned himself in and was arrested earlier Thursday to face accusations that he filed a false police report when he told authorities he was attacked in Chicago by two men who hurled racist and anti-gay slurs and looped a rope around his neck, police said. Smollett was expected to appear in court Thursday afternoon.
"He took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career," Johnson told reporters at a news conference.
"This publicity stunt was a scar that Chicago didn't earn and certainly didn't deserve," he later added.
The FBI has been investigating the letter sent before the attack. Johnson would not say whether Smollett could face charges for that.