Jussie Smolletthas filed a countersuit against the city of Chicago and other parties, claiming that he was the victim of “malicious prosecution” after he was charged with orchestrating a fake hate crime against himself. (The charges were later dropped.)
The court documents state that the defendants “conduct as herein alleged was willful and wanton, and committed maliciously, fraudulently, and oppressively, with the wrongful intent of injuring Mr. Smollett, and in conscious disregard of Mr. Smollett’s rights.”
Jussie Smollett.Leon Bennett/Getty
“Having agreed to accept $10,000 from Mr. Smollett as payment in full in connection with the dismissal of the charges against him, the city cannot seek additional recovery from Mr. Smollett under the doctrine of accord and satisfaction,” the documents continue.
According to the documents, Smollett’s attorneys are seeking that the city of Chicago be denied its requested relief; that the court award Smollett compensatory and punitive damages, in an amount to be determined at trial; and “for all other relief the court deems just and proper.”
Smollett wasindicted with 16 counts of disorderly conductin March forallegedly filing a false reportclaimingtwo men attacked himin an apparent hate crime in Chicago in January.
The embattled actor pleaded not guilty to allegations that he lied to police when he said he was attacked in what authorities later claimed was a staged incident to draw attention to himself.
After the scandal, Smollett’s character Jamal Lyon was written offEmpire. Creator Lee Daniels confirmed in June that hewould not returnfor the sixth and final season on FX.
CostarTerrence Howard, who played Smollett’s father Lucious Lyon, has called him “the heart of our show.”
“I was so proud of that young man who played my son, because he still loved me at the end of it and all he wanted to do was get closer to me,” Howard, 50, said in September onThe Late Late ShowwithJames Corden. “And out of nowhere he’s snatched away from us.”
source: people.com
