Jussie Smollett Breaks His Silence After Vicious Attack: 'I'm OK'

[Saya]

Essence

Jussie Smollett is finally speaking out after the homophobic and racist attack he endured earlier this week.

The Empire star and LGBTQ+ activist was beaten by two men early Tuesday morning in Chicago, police said in statement, just after leaving a Subway restaurant. Police added that a noose was found around the actor's neck. Smollett was able to transport himself to the hospital after suffering injuries.

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In an exclusive statement addressed to the "beautiful people," Smollett not only assured fans that he's recovering, but that he's thankful for the mass outpouring of support he's received over the last few days.

"Let me start by saying that I'm OK," Smollett began in his statement to ESSENCE. "My body is strong but my soul is stronger. More importantly I want to say thank you. The outpouring of love and support from my village has meant more than I will ever be able to truly put into words. "

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Smollett said, "I am working with authorities and have been 100% factual and consistent on every level. Despite my frustrations and deep concern with certain inaccuracies and misrepresentations that have been spread, I still believe that justice will be served. "

"As my family stated, these types of cowardly attacks are happening to my sisters, brothers and non-gender conforming siblings daily. I am not and should not be looked upon as an isolated incident. We will talk soon and I will address all details of this horrific incident, but I need a moment to process," he concluded. "Most importantly, during times of trauma, grief and pain, there is still a responsibility to lead with love. It's all I know. And that can't be kicked out of me."

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[Chris McQueen]

Glad to hear he's okay.

 

[PlanetSmasher]

I'm so glad he's doing alright. I hope they manage to track down the scum that did this to him.

 

[studyguy]

Hope they bring whoever fucked him up to justice.

 

[Kin5290]

There's a lot of uncertainty floating around regarding this case. I really hope that what Smollet is saying is true and that he is fully cooperating with the police, because other outlets have been saying otherwise and if those are true then it's really bad news.

 

[Matsukaze]

I'm glad he's doing ok. I'm wishing him the best.

 

[CDX]

Glad he's seemingly OK.

With the letters being sent through the mail and the FBI also on the case I'm glad he doesn't only have to rely on the Chicago PD for justice.

I hope someone catches the scum that did this to him.

 

[neon/drifter]

Soul is stronger FUCK YES

 

[8byte]

There's a lot of uncertainty floating around regarding this case. I really hope that what Smollet is saying is true and that he is fully cooperating with the police, because other outlets have been saying otherwise and if those are true then it's really bad news.

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We're all relived you're so concerned.

 

[Wishbone Ash]

There's a lot of uncertainty floating around regarding this case. I really hope that what Smollet is saying is true and that he is fully cooperating with the police, because other outlets have been saying otherwise and if those are true then it's really bad news.

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It's fair to assume what he said has happened. That should always be the case. We should also wait as the FBI and police continue their investigation into this.

 

[Dalek]

Glad he's ok.

Now cue the trolls.

 

[RedMercury]

There's a lot of uncertainty floating around regarding this case. I really hope that what Smollet is saying is true and that he is fully cooperating with the police, because other outlets have been saying otherwise and if those are true then it's really bad news.

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The only uncertainty is on the part of dumbasses and probably a lot of the cops working the case.

 

[skillzilla81]

There's a lot of uncertainty floating around regarding this case. I really hope that what Smollet is saying is true and that he is fully cooperating with the police, because other outlets have been saying otherwise and if those are true then it's really bad news.

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What a surprise. "Other outlets" are doubting an attack on a queer POC.

It's such a huge shock.

Obviously the first thing we should do is doubt the victim.

That just makes sense in these scenarios.

 

[CopperPuppy]

There's a lot of uncertainty floating around regarding this case. I really hope that what Smollet is saying is true and that he is fully cooperating with the police, because other outlets have been saying otherwise and if those are true then it's really bad news.

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Explain because what I've read shows no legitimate cause for uncertainty.

 

[Twenty7kvn]

Good to see that he's doing well.

 

[Sweeney Swift]

So relieved to hear he's alright

 

[Darryl M R]

Alexa, play Alright by Kendrick Lamar

 

[Kin5290]

Explain because what I've read shows no legitimate cause for uncertainty.

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NBC reported that he refused to turn over his cell phone to the police yesterday, and there were the stories about how police couldn't find any footage of the attack. These might not mean anything and they might also be products of journalists not knowing how police investigations work.

Apparently yesterday the cops released photos of persons of interest, which is reassuring.

 

[Particle Physicist]

NBC reported that he refused to turn over his cell phone to the police yesterday, and there were the stories about how police couldn't find any footage of the attack. These might not mean anything and they might also be products of journalists not knowing how police investigations work.

Apparently yesterday the cops released photos of persons of interest, which is reassuring.

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Not every assault is caught on fucking camera. Chicago doesn't have 100% of it's streets video taped. The assertion that not catching the assault on camera is suspicion is such garbage. And nobody should willingly hand over their cellphone to the police. People have been making bullshit excuses for not believing him since we first heard about the assault. The media is also being complicit with propagating this garbage.

 

[Ducarmel]

Glad he is o.k.

And the cellphone thing being reported seem like a cowardly way out for Chicago PD if they dont catch the guys.

The smear already working.

 

[Lundren]

Five posts before the same bullshit that infested the last thread appears in this.

If you go into a thread about a victim coming forward and insinuate that it's all a ruse with no evidence you are probably not looking to have a discussion.

 

[Maximum Spider]

When's trump gonna invite his attackers to the WH?

Honestly, this attack made me nauseous as I read the details. I know I shouldn't have been surprised but goddamn did it shake me.

 

[Vonnegut]

Five posts before the same bullshit that infested the last thread appears in this.

If you go into a thread about a victim coming forward and insinuate that it's all a ruse with no evidence you are probably not looking to have a discussion.

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That's not fair.

The story was suspicious from the beginning.

 

[Pai Pai Master]

That's not fair.

The story was suspicious from the beginning.

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It's not suspicious at all that a successful and outspoken gay black man says he was targeted by white supremacists on the streets of 2019 America.

 

[Nepenthe]

That's not fair.

The story was suspicious from the beginning.

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No it wasn't.

 

[Detective Loki]

NBC reported that he refused to turn over his cell phone to the police yesterday, and there were the stories about how police couldn't find any footage of the attack. These might not mean anything and they might also be products of journalists not knowing how police investigations work.

Apparently yesterday the cops released photos of persons of interest, which is reassuring.

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In this day and age and being black, who would turn over their phone at all?

That gives them means to do anything with it.

 

[Verelios]

That's not fair.

The story was suspicious from the beginning.

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How sway. How was it suspicious beyond no surveillance footage.

 

[NoName999]

There's a lot of uncertainty floating around regarding this case. I really hope that what Smollet is saying is true and that he is fully cooperating with the police, because other outlets have been saying otherwise and if those are true then it's really bad news.

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That's not fair.

The story was suspicious from the beginning.

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Why can't you "skeptics" just admit that you don't really find yourself wanting to sympathize with a gay black man? Just be honest for once.

All the weird and bizarre stories that members on this forum posts and it's ALWAYS the hate crime topics that get skepticism.

 

[RedMercury]

That's not fair.

The story was suspicious from the beginning.

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It was not, the media and right-wingers (and likely the police) planted seeds of doubt, taken at face value there was never any reason to think he's not telling he truth.

 

[Carolina Reaper]

NBC reported that he refused to turn over his cell phone to the police yesterday, and there were the stories about how police couldn't find any footage of the attack. These might not mean anything and they might also be products of journalists not knowing how police investigations work.

Apparently yesterday the cops released photos of persons of interest, which is reassuring.

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Smollet cleared that up today. He said the police never demanded his phone. They requested he give it to them, which made him uncomfortable. He's more than willing to assist them in getting the phone records to match up the calls. Police have also said they've got camera footage of two men across the street from Smollet followed sixty seconds later by Jusse walking back into his building covered with snow and a rope around his neck.

 

[Vonnegut]

It's not suspicious at all that a successful and outspoken gay black man says he was targeted by white supremacists on the streets of 2019 America.

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In Chicago, at 2:00 am, he is recognized by two White Trump supporters wearing MAGA hats?

And the attackers are in possession of rope and a bottle of bleach, in freezing temperatures?

They attack him, place the noose around his neck, pour the bleach (or other liquid chemical, hurl racial and homophobic slurs at him and say "this is MAGA country" and then walk away?

How did they recognize him? How did they happen to be there at 2:00 am when he decided to go to Subway? Were they waiting on him and hoping that he would leave his home at that hour?

The surveillance the police have found shows Smollett returning to his building with a white rope around his neck. But so far, there hasn't been any surveillance found depicting the attack.

A neighbor says she took her dog out for a walk around midnight and saw a man that looked like a "redneck" smoking a cigarette outside the building.

How did this man know Smollett lives there? Is that public knowledge?

It's fair to be skeptical about this.

And someone else in this thread is asking for people who are being skeptical about this to just admit that they don't care about black people.

Of course I care, but this story just seems suspicious.

 

[Ducarmel]

It's fair to be skeptical about this.

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We have decades of evidence of lgbt and people of color being intentionally targeted by hateful people and hate groups, but this is suspicious?

 

[CopperPuppy]

NBC reported that he refused to turn over his cell phone to the police yesterday, and there were the stories about how police couldn't find any footage of the attack. These might not mean anything and they might also be products of journalists not knowing how police investigations work.

Apparently yesterday the cops released photos of persons of interest, which is reassuring.

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There are about a million reasons to not voluntarily relinquish your personal cell phone to the police.

Having video evidence of a crime is rare.

You said "there is a lot of uncertainty floating around."

That is neither a lot nor cause for uncertainty.

So where is your "a lot of uncertainty" that is "floating around"?

 

[Tfritz]

In Chicago, at 2:00 am, he is recognized by two White Trump supporters wearing MAGA hats?

And the attackers are in possession of rope and a bottle of bleach, in freezing temperatures?

They attack him, place the noose around his neck, pour the bleach (or other liquid chemical, hurl racial and homophobic slurs at him and say "this is MAGA country" and then walk away?

How did they recognize him? How did they happen to be there at 2:00 am when he decided to go to Subway? Were they waiting on him and hoping that he would leave his home at that hour?

The surveillance the police have found shows Smollett returning to his building with a white rope around his neck. But so far, there hasn't been any surveillance found depicting the attack.

A neighbor says she took her dog out for a walk around midnight and saw a man that looked like a "redneck" smoking a cigarette outside the building.

How did this man know Smollett lives there? Is that public knowledge?

It's fair to be skeptical about this.

And someone else in this thread is asking for people who are being skeptical about this to just admit that they don't care about black people.

Of course I care, but this story just seems suspicious.

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it may surprise you to know that some crimes are premeditated

 

[Deleted member 42055]

That's not fair.

The story was suspicious from the beginning.

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Please keep talking so you can catch a ban like some of the other people in the original thread. Disgusting.

 

[Tfritz]

also the fact that you included "hurl racial and homophobic slurs at (the man they are physically assaulting)" in your list of "Wow there's plenty of reasons to be skeptical" things is real fucking telling my dude.

 

[Pai Pai Master]

Yeah fuck all that. This is MAGA Country unfortunately, so everything in his story is 100% believable.

 

[Tfritz]

Lifehack: Break your fucking ribs and lie about a hate crime when you're a successful actor with nothing to gain but everything to lose.

 

[Genryu]

I'm really curious about what the skeptic's version of this event even looks like.

Because nothing that Smollett has said SOUNDS unbelievable, especially not for something that could happen to a gay PoC.

 

[Lundren]

Yeah fuck all that. This is MAGA Country unfortunately, so everything in his story is 100% believable.

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Lifehack: Break your fucking ribs and lie about a hate crime when you're a successful actor with nothing to gain but everything to lose.

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I'm really curious about what the skeptic's version of this event even looks like.

Because nothing that Smollett has said SOUNDS unbelievable, especially not for something that could happen to a gay PoC.

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I typed and deleted a response about five times now and couldn't phrase this in a way that satisfied me. These sum it up well enough.

 

[Deleted member 2761]

What is the skeptic's alternative hypothesis? That a gay black man beat himself up for attention? Because that's more likely than a gay black man being beaten up for being a gay black man in Trump's America? Get real.

 

[Sedef122]

In Chicago, at 2:00 am, he is recognized by two White Trump supporters wearing MAGA hats?

And the attackers are in possession of rope and a bottle of bleach, in freezing temperatures?

They attack him, place the noose around his neck, pour the bleach (or other liquid chemical, hurl racial and homophobic slurs at him and say "this is MAGA country" and then walk away?

How did they recognize him? How did they happen to be there at 2:00 am when he decided to go to Subway? Were they waiting on him and hoping that he would leave his home at that hour?

The surveillance the police have found shows Smollett returning to his building with a white rope around his neck. But so far, there hasn't been any surveillance found depicting the attack.

A neighbor says she took her dog out for a walk around midnight and saw a man that looked like a "redneck" smoking a cigarette outside the building.

How did this man know Smollett lives there? Is that public knowledge?

It's fair to be skeptical about this.

And someone else in this thread is asking for people who are being skeptical about this to just admit that they don't care about black people.

Of course I care, but this story just seems suspicious.

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Right, what does he have to gain from doing this? Look at it from that angle, why would he do it?

 

[skillzilla81]

Explain because what I've read shows no legitimate cause for uncertainty.

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In his statement, he pleads for people to realize this isn't a new thing.

And people still trying to cast shade. Amazing.

lol @ questioning why a black gay man wouldn't want to hand his phone over to the police.

 

[Vonnegut]

also the fact that you included "hurl racial and homophobic slurs at (the man they are physically assaulting)" in your list of "Wow there's plenty of reasons to be skeptical" things is real fucking telling my dude.

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That they were yelling homophobic slurs at him may suggest that they recognize him. Jussie Smollett is an openly gay man.

If they were carrying rope and bleach with them, that suggests that they were planning this.

And if they happened to attack him at 2:00 am when he decided to go out for food, that suggests they were waiting there for a while for him to leave his apartment. Leaving one's apartment to go out for food at 2:00am is a bit abnormal. If these people were planning to attack him, they must have had some reason to believe that he was going to be outside at such a late hour.

And how would they know that?

How did they know he lived there? And how did they remain tenacious well into the night, in freezing temperatures, waiting on him to emerge from his apartment complex?

That's the part that's suspicious.

Were these people studying his habits? Were they staking out his place for days or weeks, and thus surmised that it was common for Smollett to leave his home at 2:00 am?

This attack seems to have required a level of planning that I wouldn't attribute to a couple of dumbass Trump-supporting racists.

 

[Lundren]

This attack seems to have required a level of planning that I wouldn't attribute to a couple of dumbass Trump-supporting racists.

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I just want to point out that dumbass Trump-supporting racists got Trump elected to the highest office in the country. While committing many crimes.

We make a huge mistake when we attribute lack of intellect with bigotry. It's a way for a certain segment of the country to feel good about themselves. Racists aren't racist because they are stupid, and smart people aren't exempt from being racist.

 

[entrydenied]

That they were yelling homophobic slurs at him may suggest that they recognize him. Jussie Smollett is an openly gay man.

If they were carrying rope and bleach with them, that suggests that they were planning this.

And if they happened to attack him at 2:00 am when he decided to go out for food, that suggests they were waiting there for a while for him to leave his apartment. Leaving one's apartment to go out for food at 2:00am is a bit abnormal. If these people were planning to attack him, they must have had some reason to believe that he was going to be outside at such a late hour.

And how would they know that?

How did they know he lived there? And how did they remain tenacious well into the night, in freezing temperatures, waiting on him to emerge from his apartment complex?

That's the part that's suspicious.

Were these people studying his habits? Were they staking out his place for days or weeks, and thus surmised that it was common for Smollett to leave his home at 2:00 am?

This attack seems to have required a level of planning that I wouldn't attribute to a couple of dumbass Trump-supporting racists.

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Racists who go to great lengths to attack people don't necessarily apply logic to their actions nor are they too dumb to stalk people. Why are you surprised by how people actually find out where others live? Doxing is crazy easy these days and people did it even during days when there was no internet.

 

[Ducarmel]

That they were yelling homophobic slurs at him may suggest that they recognize him. Jussie Smollett is an openly gay man.

If they were carrying rope and bleach with them, that suggests that they were planning this.

And if they happened to attack him at 2:00 am when he decided to go out for food, that suggests they were waiting there for a while for him to leave his apartment. Leaving one's apartment to go out for food at 2:00am is a bit abnormal. If these people were planning to attack him, they must have had some reason to believe that he was going to be outside at such a late hour.

And how would they know that?

How did they know he lived there? And how did they remain tenacious well into the night, in freezing temperatures, waiting on him to emerge from his apartment complex?

That's the part that's suspicious.

Were these people studying his habits? Were they staking out his place for days or weeks, and thus surmised that it was common for Smollett to leave his home at 2:00 am?

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A popular time for lgbt/poc to be attacked is late at night in areas they are known to be frequent/live or other moments of opportunities to attack when they are vulnerable. These cowards don't do it in broad daylight with witnesses.

We are assuming as Jussie said these men knew who he was so it not a stretch to believe they would wait for an opportunity to attack him like historically many lgbt/poc have been attacked late in the night and few witnesses to observe the attack.

 

[CopperPuppy]

Vonnegut's posts are almost aggressively ignorant, so I'll try to take it from the top.

In Chicago, at 2:00 am, he is recognized by two White Trump supporters wearing MAGA hats?

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Chicago has its share of both white people and Trump supporters, who are capable of committing premeditated acts of violence at late hours when witnesses are rare.

And the attackers are in possession of rope and a bottle of bleach, in freezing temperatures?

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Human beings often go outside in cold weather. Jackets and other warm garments make it possible to do so. It is also possible to carry an un-frozen bottle of bleach in freezing temperatures, just like I could walk outside two days ago when it was -20 and drink a bottle of water.

They attack him, place the noose around his neck, pour the bleach (or other liquid chemical, hurl racial and homophobic slurs at him and say "this is MAGA country" and then walk away?

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Walking away is how virtually all assailants leave the scene of an attack. Driving away is the other option.

How did they recognize him? How did they happen to be there at 2:00 am when he decided to go to Subway? Were they waiting on him and hoping that he would leave his home at that hour?

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They presumably recognized him because he is a celebrity and public figure and his likeness is easily ascertainable from a quick Google search. They happened to be there at 2am because they (1) wanted to attack him and (2) wanted to do so at night when there are few witnesses. So they wait outside his residence until he either leaves or returns from elsewhere.

The surveillance the police have found shows Smollett returning to his building with a white rope around his neck. But so far, there hasn't been any surveillance found depicting the attack.

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Video evidence of crime is rare.

A neighbor says she took her dog out for a walk around midnight and saw a man that looked like a "redneck" smoking a cigarette outside the building.

How did this man know Smollett lives there? Is that public knowledge?

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Celebrity residences are often the subject of rampant hearsay and rumor-mongering. When I lived in Chicago people frequently discussed where famous people lived.

It's fair to be skeptical about this.

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Any reasonable, rationale person would not be skeptical that he was, in fact, attacked.

 

[Mona]

Ellen Page was spitting hot fire about this last night on Colbert

 

[LastCaress]

That they were yelling homophobic slurs at him may suggest that they recognize him. Jussie Smollett is an openly gay man.

If they were carrying rope and bleach with them, that suggests that they were planning this.

And if they happened to attack him at 2:00 am when he decided to go out for food, that suggests they were waiting there for a while for him to leave his apartment. Leaving one's apartment to go out for food at 2:00am is a bit abnormal. If these people were planning to attack him, they must have had some reason to believe that he was going to be outside at such a late hour.

And how would they know that?

How did they know he lived there? And how did they remain tenacious well into the night, in freezing temperatures, waiting on him to emerge from his apartment complex?

That's the part that's suspicious.

Were these people studying his habits? Were they staking out his place for days or weeks, and thus surmised that it was common for Smollett to leave his home at 2:00 am?

This attack seems to have required a level of planning that I wouldn't attribute to a couple of dumbass Trump-supporting racists.

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Maybe they were out there ready to attack any black person and just recognized him and went for it?