Jussie Smollett has officially closed a chapter in his long-running legal battle. On Tuesday, May 21, the actor settled a lawsuit with the city of Chicago and pledged a $10,000 donation to a nonprofit supporting survivors of police violence.
After years of public controversy, court cases, and headlines, this marks a turning point in Smollett’s highly publicized story.
📅 Date: May 21
💰 Donation: $10,000 to a nonprofit for survivors of police violence
🏛️ Settlement: With the City of Chicago
🎭 Actor best known for: Empire
🔔 Subscribe for the latest in celebrity news, legal updates, and stories of social impact.
🏷️ Hashtags:
#JussieSmollett #BreakingNews #PoliceViolence #ChicagoNews #SocialJustice #CelebrityNews #LegalUpdate #EmpireStar #DonationNews #SmollettUpdate
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Hello everyone. This is Deia Avery of
00:00:02 --> 00:00:05 the Deia Avery Show. So, I have a little
00:00:05 --> 00:00:08 story here about Jesse Smlette. There is
00:00:08 --> 00:00:12 some good that comes out of this. Um,
00:00:12 --> 00:00:16 whether he's exonerated or forgiven or
00:00:16 --> 00:00:18 whatever, I'm going to read it to you
00:00:18 --> 00:00:21 anyway, and you be the judge. So, uh,
00:00:21 --> 00:00:24 Jesse Smlette resolved his civil dispute
00:00:24 --> 00:00:27 with Chicago and donated $10 to a
00:00:27 --> 00:00:30 police violence support group following
00:00:30 --> 00:00:33 his 2024 exoneration.
00:00:33 --> 00:00:35 Jesse Smlette closed a chapter in his
00:00:36 --> 00:00:39 yearslong legal saga on Tuesday, May
00:00:39 --> 00:00:42 21st, by settling a lawsuit with the
00:00:42 --> 00:00:45 city of Chicago and announcing a $10
00:00:45 --> 00:00:48 donation to a nonprofit that supports
00:00:48 --> 00:00:51 survivors of police violence. The former
00:00:51 --> 00:00:54 Empire actor, 41 years old, agreed to
00:00:54 --> 00:00:55 pay
00:00:55 --> 00:00:57 $5 to Building Brighter Future
00:00:57 --> 00:01:00 Center for the Arts, a Chicago based
00:01:00 --> 00:01:01 group that
00:01:01 --> 00:01:04 mentors underserved youth through
00:01:04 --> 00:01:07 creative programs. payment resolves a
00:01:07 --> 00:01:10 civil case brought by city officials
00:01:10 --> 00:01:12 seeking reimbursement for the cost of
00:01:12 --> 00:01:14 investigating Smlette's widely
00:01:14 --> 00:01:17 publicized 2019 assault claim, which
00:01:17 --> 00:01:21 police later alleged was staged. Smlette
00:01:21 --> 00:01:24 also revealed he made a separate $10
00:01:24 --> 00:01:26 contribution to the Chicago Torture
00:01:26 --> 00:01:29 Justice Center, an organization that
00:01:29 --> 00:01:31 provides mental health and legal support
00:01:31 --> 00:01:34 to victims of police misconduct.
00:01:34 --> 00:01:36 The donation came with a pointed
00:01:36 --> 00:01:40 message. He says, "I'm grateful to have
00:01:40 --> 00:01:43 had the resources to defend myself. So
00:01:43 --> 00:01:46 many do not. They are backed into
00:01:46 --> 00:01:48 corners to take deals or confess to
00:01:48 --> 00:01:51 crimes they did not actually commit."
00:01:51 --> 00:01:53 Smlette wrote in a statement posted to
00:01:53 --> 00:01:56 Instagram. Though I was exonerated by
00:01:56 --> 00:01:58 the Illinois Supreme Court in a
00:01:58 --> 00:02:01 unanimous decision and the civil case
00:02:01 --> 00:02:04 will now be dismissed, I am aware that
00:02:04 --> 00:02:06 it will not change everyone's mind about
00:02:06 --> 00:02:10 me or attack what I've experienced," he
00:02:10 --> 00:02:13 added. So, you know, Smlette's legal
00:02:13 --> 00:02:16 troubles began in January 2019 when he
00:02:16 --> 00:02:18 told police he was the victim of a
00:02:18 --> 00:02:21 racist and homophobic homophobic assault
00:02:21 --> 00:02:25 in downtown Chicago. So, that's the news
00:02:25 --> 00:02:28 for him, guys. So, do do we forgive him
00:02:28 --> 00:02:31 yet or or what? So, anyways, guys, I'll
00:02:31 --> 00:02:34 talk to you later.