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Jussie Smollett Defends Hate Crime Claims, Blasts Chicago Officials

8/14/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Jussie Smollett stands firm in his narrative of the 2019 hate crime, branding the Chicago Police and ex-Mayor Rahm Emanuel as "villains." In a candid Variety interview, he asserts his story hasn't wavered, insisting masked assailants, not the brothers who testified against him, were responsible for the attack, all while promoting his Netflix documentary.

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Story summary

Jussie Smollett stands firm in his narrative of the 2019 hate crime, branding the Chicago Police and ex-Mayor Rahm Emanuel as "villains." In a candid Variety interview, he asserts his story hasn't wavered, insisting masked assailants, not the brothers who testified against him, were responsible for the attack, all while promoting his Netflix documentary.