New developments in the Jussie Smollett attack case. TMZ has reported that Chicago PD is now opening an internal investigation because they feel someone has been providing information to the media that has being misconstrued everywhere. No evidence proving the ‘Empire’ actor orchestrated the attack has been found and he is still due in court on March 14th.
Sergeant Rocco Alioto told TMZ:
I would like to point out that a lot of the information out there was inaccurate and there were numerous agencies involved in this investigation. As a standard procedure when there are allegations of information being leaked, an internal investigation has been opened and we are also looking at our vulnerabilities.
In an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Smollett’s attorney, Mark Geragos, pointed a finger at the Chicago PD says:
Anytime you start to get law enforcement–drip drip drip—leaks, that to me is a tell-tale sign that something more is going on here. I don’t for a minute believe, and I think it’s ludicrous to believe, that the police tracked these two down through a grainy photograph. I don’t think that’s what happened. In fact, I think the cooperation of Smollett is precisely why they have these two. My guess would be–they find their phone numbers, they know they have a connection, and they arrest the two guys and put them in custody for two days because there was an enormous amount of pressure to solve the crime. Does that mean that Smollett was in cahoots with them? I haven’t seen anything but leaks according to law enforcement sources.
The ‘two’ Geragos is referring to are, of course, brothers Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundario whom Smollett allegedly paid $3,500 to orchestrate the attack.
It seems that the authorities’ dealings with the case have been less than professional. Additionally, CBS has reported that dozens of workers at Northwestern Memorial Hospital where Smollett was being treated after the attack may have improperly reviewed his record. Since Smollett entered the hospital under an alias, employees were viewing his medical chart. One particular nurse said she never even looked at his chart and feels she was fired for simply scrolling past his name.
This case has had so many twists and turns in the media that it has been hard to follow. There’s no telling what new information will pop up each day. Currently, Smollett is being charged with filing a fake police report.
