Jussie Smollett might have escaped this embarrassing arrest, if he had just have apologized for it, according to the former Chicago Police Superintendent.
The ‘Empire’ star was recently found guilty of making up an alleged hate crime including being attacked by men who poured bleach on him and put a noose around his neck. The Chicago Police Department spent weeks investigating the brutal allegations, only to claim the actor made the whole thing up to garner attention to his career.
Now, the former Chicago Police Chief is saying all the officers involved in the case wanted was a little apology. Eddie Johnson sat down with ‘Morning In America’ and said, “I want people to understand this. This was not the most heinous crime of the century. He didn’t kill anybody. He didn’t blow up a building.”
Chicago Police Chief: ‘We Would’ve Been Happy With Just An Apology’
He continued, “We would have been more than happy with just an apology at the end of all that we uncovered but for some reason, he just wanted to keep going down this road that he was actually a victim.”
According to the officer, investigators started to believe the entire thing might be a hoax as soon as they entered the actor’s apartment following the alleged attack. As we reported, body cameras captured the initial interaction between cops and Jussie Smollett, and Johnson says, “a video showing the actor with a noose hanging around his neck at his home, long after the crime was committed, was the first red flag.”
Jussie Smollett Keeping Noose Around His Neck Was Suspicious Says Officers
Adding, “I have to be honest when I first saw the video of him in his apartment with the noose around his neck I was concerned because I don’t think there are many black people in America with a noose around their neck and wouldn’t immediately take it off.”
Shockingly, the key to Jussie’s conviction was a tuna sandwich from Subway, Johnson said. Remember, the ‘Empire’ actor claimed he was attacked while walking down the street in Chicago, after purchasing a Subway sandwich. The problem is, the actor’s food was fully intact and he had carried it from the crime scene back to his apartment. Of course, responding officers thought it was odd that someone would save their food, instead of ditching it and running as soon as they were being attacked.
“He comes back and gets attacked in a hate crime, supposed hate crime, and during all this scuffle – they poured bleach on him and all of this – when he got up and went into his apartment building he still had that Subway sandwich with him. That doesn’t happen,” Johnson told the outlet.
Jussie Smollett’s Tuna Subway Sandwich Key To His Conviction
Adding, “This guy had the sandwich in his hand, never been touched. So that was a real tip and a clue to us that something was amiss.”
At this point, Jussie has been convicted of five felonies and is awaiting sentencing in the case. According to reports, the actor is most likely not going to get any jail time due to the nature of the crimes, and his non-existent criminal record.
