Jussie Smollett is speaking out after striking a pretty sweet deal with the Windy City to close his hate crime hoax situation there ... and he's ready to put this behind him, while getting a few parting shots in.
00:00Well, as expected, Jussie Smollett celebrating the fact that the ordeal over the alleged hate crime, the hoax, is over now completely in his rearview mirror.
00:15Because as we told you yesterday, we broke the story about the settlement that he made with the city of Chicago on the civil lawsuit that they had filed trying to get back the money they had spent investigating the whole hate crime.
00:31They were asking for around $130,000, the city was, and wanted Jussie to pay it.
00:36And they were fighting.
00:38And Jussie said, I am not going to pay that money because I did nothing wrong.
00:42And the city folded.
00:44So, they reached the settlement.
00:46He paid $50,000 to a charity of his choice, not the city's, and the city got nothing.
00:54I still don't know how that works.
00:55I guess we said settlement because they're not having to spend any more legal fees.
01:00Yeah, I mean, it's going to cost them a fortune to go to court and it's going to be more than $130,000.
01:04Right.
01:05Nonetheless, Jussie did not have to admit guilt.
01:07Well, this is what, look, so after this is all said and done, Jussie posted a very long statement about the whole ordeal.
01:15He said, this false narrative has left a stain on my character.
01:18These officials wanted my money and wanted my confession for something I did not do.
01:25Today, it should be clear, they have received neither.
01:28Wow.
01:29You've got to remember one thing.
01:31Wow.
01:31A jury of 12 unanimously said he did it.
01:36Now, the conviction was overturned because prosecutors had already reached a settlement with Jussie where he agreed to do community service.
01:45And he had done more than enough community service.
01:47And so they said, look, you had no right to try him because you already agreed to settle with him in the plea bargain.
01:52But they did have that trial and a jury unanimously said, you concocted a hoax.
02:00Right.
02:01But that was overturned.
02:03And he is saying, look, that means I can and will maintain my innocence.
02:07And he absolutely is.
02:09Now, he is, there were parts of it that were, of his statement that were gracious and said, look, I should keep moving on.
02:15I got to move forward, put this all behind me.
02:17And maybe he will do that.
02:19But I just felt it was interesting, that little twist of the knife out there.
02:22He's like, they wanted it.
02:24They didn't get it.
02:24But it's true.
02:25And it's true.
02:26I mean, he had to do, through this whole thing, what, he was in jail for how many, he was in jail for like two days or a day or something like that.
02:36And, you know, they wanted him in jail for months and they didn't get anything here.
02:42And I got to tell you, I agree with the appellate court in this case that they made a deal with him.
02:48And, you know, and remember, I mean, there was a whole thing about the prosecute.
02:51Illinois Supreme Court.
02:53That's an appellate court.
02:54Okay.
02:55Sorry, counselor.
02:57I thought there was a difference.
02:59Fine.
02:59No, no, no.
03:00But remember, the prosecutor in that case, there was something about, did you have a relationship with Jussie's family?
03:06And did you make this ridiculously sweet deal?
03:08And blah, blah, blah.
03:09But the bottom line is they made a deal.
03:11The system worked as it should.
03:12He was allowed out.
03:13And I agree with you.
03:14They had a deal's a deal and he deserves to be out.
03:16His little victory lap here, though, is a real, you know, a real kick in the balls, frankly, to the prosecution and to the people of Chicago who were, let's face it, duped by Jussie Smollett.
03:26He pulled up a hoax and he seems to have gotten away with it.
03:29And now it's bad enough.
03:30Just like, give your apology, give your $50,000 to charity and move on.
03:34Instead, he's like, again, taking a victory lap.
03:35And, you know, look, Jussie maintained his innocence through this entire thing for the last six years.
03:42But I just feel a little for the citizens of Chicago who, without no fault of their own, had nothing to do with it, they end up having to eat that $130,000.
03:54You know what's interesting, though?
03:56You know what is really interesting?
03:57It's sort of the Trump effect, that Donald Trump can will people believing something and he just sticks by it, and they do.
04:06And he's done that, you know, with various charges that were made and all sorts of things.
04:12And it's sort of become the way society works now, especially in the legal system.
04:17Not me.
04:18But Jussie didn't will people to believe him.
04:21But I think he's posturing that.
04:23Didn't believe him four years ago, five years ago, six years ago, still don't believe him.
04:28I'm not saying it's as effective as Trump.
04:30I'm saying...
04:31The end result is the same.
04:32And that's what he's trying to do.
04:33Right.
04:33Hey, guys.
04:34My name is Jamila, and I'm in Reno, Nevada.
04:36Okay, honestly, after watching that, I think in the whole situation, I think we're all still really confused in what actually happened in the situation with Jussie Smollett.
04:45But I know, personally, I struggle to understand why someone would create a hoax, go through all this elaborate plans.
04:53But I think this does bring light, too.
04:55There are different types of mental health situations.
04:58Him paying $50,000 to a mental health charity, I think, is 100% the right thing to do.
05:03But, again, I think this is all still just really confusing.
05:06And did he do it?
05:08Did he not do it?
05:09Not really sure.
05:09But I think the $50,000 is the right thing for him to have done.
05:15I think the $50,000 is the right thing for him to have done.
