In January 2019, ‘Empire’ actor Jussie Smollett was the victim of a racial and homophobic hate crime perpetrated in Chicago that shocked the nation and sparked an outcry from seemingly Hollywood’s entire A-list. But it didn’t take long for cracks in his story to emerge. In our season 1 finale, we explore the logic holes, inconsistencies, and downright bizarre twists in this years-long saga involving race, sexuality, police brutality and celebrity. Plus, a lot of tangents.

SOURCES
The Truth About Jussie Smollett? (Netflix)
https://www.biography.com/actor/jussie-smollett
https://www.out.com/entertainment/2016/1/28/exclusive-jussie-smollett-being-black-and-gay-hollywood
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/feb/03/im-the-gay-tupac-jussie-smollett
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/jussie-smollett-video-shows-brothers-red-hat-ski-mask/
https://time.com/5560430/jussie-smollett-donald-trump-fbi/
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/chicago-police-chief-eddie-johnson-fired-after-series-ethical-lapses-n1094301
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2021/12/02/jussie-smolletts-legal-team-begins-defense-at-actors-trial-for-allegedly-staging-and-reporting-a-phony-hate-crime/
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/samuel-l-jackson-offered-support-for-smollett-in-letter-read-at-sentencing
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/21/jussie-smollett-conviction-overturned
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/25/jussie-smollett-chicago-charities-settle-lawsuit
https://www.wbez.org/shows/wbez-news/prosecutor-kim-foxx-defends-jussie-smollett-decision-in-wbez-interview/ddc80843-d6ee-4c25-a635-02ad49c325e6
https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-47317701
https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/national-international/jussie-smollett-2007-dui-arrest/4508/
https://www.businessinsider.com/jussie-smollett-2007-false-information-case-2019-2
https://variety.com/2025/film/news/jussie-smollett-hate-crime-netflix-documentary-comeback-1236487316/
https://www.citybureau.org/black-caucus-timeline
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/chicago-police-department-routinely-violated-people-s-rights-feds-say-n706586

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