The two Nigerian brothers arrested in connection with the assault on "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett are no longer suspects in the attack. They're now cooperating with police.

A source close to the investigation confirms to CBS News the brothers told detectives Smollett paid them to participate in the alleged attack on January 29 and that they purchased the rope — which was found around Smollett's neck — at a nearby hardware store. The source said detectives have evidence to corroborate the sale, something the men's attorney alluded to Friday night.
"New evidence that was brought to their attention, obviously I had it, my clients had it," said Gloria Schmidt, the brothers' attorney.



* * *

In a recent interview with "Good Morning America," Smollett said he was sure the men in the photo were his attackers.
"And then I see the attacker, masked. And he said, 'This is MAGA country, n*****.' Punches me right in the face. So, I punched his ass back," Smollett said. "I think what people need to hear is just the truth."

Smollett has not spoken publicly about the arrest and subsequent release of the two brothers. Earlier this week, Chicago police said Smollett is still being treated as a victim, not a suspect.
An attorney for Smollett did not immediately return CBS News' request for comment.

www.cbsnews.com/news/jussie-smollett-case-brothers-say-empire-actor-paid-them-to-participate-in-alleged-attack-source-says-2019-02-16/

Thoughts on this story?

This story is such a joke it's not even funny. Smollet is a disgrace to black men and gay men everywhere. Hell he is a disgrace to humanity as a whole. How many REAL victims will be marginalized now because of this garbage. I hope he gets charged.

If someone was legitimately beaten up just for being gay, I'd feel sympathy for the person.

But to do what he did? If this is all true, then plain and simple, it's all sorts of wrong. And he would get absolutely no sympathy.

The craziest part is the fact he’s still standing by his story.

Feb 17, 2019 22:32:55 GMT KING KID said:

The craziest part is the fact he’s still standing by his story.

I would normally feel like "I told you so", but I can't take credit. What I find really interesting is the initial nighttime network news report on this sounded really skeptical. To the point that I asked my wife if I was translating the news right. Due to the news, I was skeptical from the get-go.

Joke but truth. Do you think any MAGA dude watches Empire to know who Jussie was?  I imagine the Venn diagram of MAGA hat supporters and Empire watchers to be two circles that don't touch.

I get so much joy reading this story unfold.

What an idiot 😂🤦🏻‍♀️

His bond is set at $100,000 and he is to forfeit his passport.

Fucking moron. Lmao. It’ll probably be a slap in the wrist at the end, but the damage he has caused is insane. Forget his career, his career is over. However, he cried wolf and the next one might not get the benefit he got at the beginning of it. What a clown.

Feb 21, 2019 20:13:15 GMT KING KID said:

His bond is set at $100,000 and he is to forfeit his passport.

Fucking moron. Lmao. It’ll probably be a slap in the wrist at the end, but the damage he has caused is insane. Forget his career, his career is over. However, he cried wolf and the next one might not get the benefit he got at the beginning of it. What a clown.

That last sentence is so crucial. Society loves to point to the fraudulent claims - which are far and few between - as a means to discredit future incidents. People still cite the Duke Lacrosse team rape BS to diminish ALL claims of sexual assault on college campuses. The same will occur with this for years to come.

My last sentence was “what a clown” but I know you meant second to last.

However, to fight your point and I don’t disagree with it but playing devils advocate; people like Smollett deserve to pay. Because if the cops didn’t look into it and it was brushed away, his life could’ve been glorious and he’d be the new Kaepernick of entertainment and the evil would lie in the form of straight white conservative males. How someone tries to start a race war with a lie is as ridiculous as the Michael Brown “hands up don’t shoot” myth that was debunked but nearly ruined a cops life. These people need to face the law to the fullest and unfortunately I think his biggest punishment will be a loss of a career. I think for someone as obsessed with his career as he is, it might be a big punishment but jail time wouldn’t hurt. Because this is a lesson that he has not and will not learn from and that’s a fact. The hate in his heart for the white man is too obvious.

Feb 22, 2019 0:14:53 GMT KING KID said:

My last sentence was “what a clown” but I know you meant second to last.

However, to fight your point and I don’t disagree with it but playing devils advocate; people like Smollett deserve to pay. Because if the cops didn’t look into it and it was brushed away, his life could’ve been glorious and he’d be the new Kaepernick of entertainment and the evil would lie in the form of straight white conservative males. How someone tries to start a race war with a lie is as ridiculous as the Michael Brown “hands up don’t shoot” myth that was debunked but nearly ruined a cops life. These people need to face the law to the fullest and unfortunately I think his biggest punishment will be a loss of a career. I think for someone as obsessed with his career as he is, it might be a big punishment but jail time wouldn’t hurt. Because this is a lesson that he has not and will not learn from and that’s a fact. The hate in his heart for the white man is too obvious.

Touche on last sentence. :lol:

He does deserve to be punished. I don't think that's fighting my point at all. I agree. I get worried people carry it forward to real victims. "This is just like <insert false situation> ..."

Oh for sure. It’ll be as bad, if not worse then the Taywana Bradley situation because of the impact of social media. Everyone jumped in at the beginning defending him and attacking The President. It blows my mind that he was okay and willing to play a pawn in the political world. Then to find out he was disattisfied with his pay on Empire as the reason is so selfish and despicable. Then to find out that he did it TWO TIMES, the first being a fake letter he wrote to himself. Then to see how he said “if this was a black, Mexican or a Muslim who attacked me, everyone would be supporting me” insinuating that it was white on black crime is despicable when you find out it was two Nigerians that he paid and coached to do this. Just an absurd story.

This, and the Indian scandal a few months ago, the left is out of control.

This guy probably has some serious mental issues.

What would be hilarious is while he is out on bail follow him to an ATM then beat him afterwards and take the money from his wallet, you can argue he paid you to do it again if you get caught.

Due process. Let's see how the courts shake out. I watch too much 20/20 to go all in without watching it all play out. I've been duped too many times.

Coincidence is that not too long ago 20/20 had the whole Robert Blake case on. There are parts of this that feel like this. Left or right, we must wait for due process.

Story is now that Brian Williams of NBC was there LIVE when the assault took place.

Kathy Griffin said that nobody could ruin their career quicker then she did. Jussie told Kathy to “hold his bleach.”

Man, the Meme Team is on fire with this story.

My favorite being the Scooby Doo meme.

Feb 22, 2019 17:21:32 GMT KING KID said:

Story is now that Brian Williams of NBC was there LIVE when the assault took place.

Kathy Griffin said that nobody could ruin their career quicker then she did. Jussie told Kathy to “hold his bleach.”

Man, the Meme Team is on fire with this story.

My favorite being the Scooby Doo meme.

Agreed the memes are priceless, I feel like everyone on Twitter was living in harmony the last few days as everyone of every race and creed roasted Smollett 😂.







And the one you mentioned

Feb 22, 2019 7:12:51 GMT iNCY said:

This guy probably has some serious mental issues.

If he's smart enough, he'll play this card and claim Trump isn't doing enough for mental health in the black community.

Then the girl that played Juno will call Trump racist again.

He’s going with the drugs claim right now.

You know how when the first reports came out, those leaning to the right said 'wait a minute, hold on here, this sounds so farcical it probably can't be true?'

Now I'm on the left saying the same thing.

The reports are now saying Smollett paid off the attackers with a personal check with his name on it. Just... what? I would accept alleyway surveillance video of Jussie handing the dudes a cartoonishly big bag with a money sign on it before I would accept that he is so mindbogglingly stupid he would write out a check and expect them to cash it at a bank.

The whole reason is that he didn’t think they’d realize it was two Nigerian dudes after he went on television and said that it was two white men. It was also already stated that they were also his personal trainers so he could’ve easily thought the money would be taken as payment for that. I don’t think I’m his wildest dreams, clearly, that they were going to solve this case in Chicago where people get murdered everyday and nobody gets caught.

If you look at how the cops found him, it took a lot of people in the neighborhood voluntarily giving police their home outdoor camera footage to follow where the brothers went. They took 2 cabs on the getaway so they couldn’t be traced and they left their cell phones at home so they couldn’t get pinged. There’s a reason he’s bringing up drug use now to get away from doing serious prison time.

I really want Trump to come out and in full Mega-Trump mode go " this is why we need to make America great again "

Selfish, but I'm mainly pissed this fucks up Empire, yeah, travesty to take away and trivialize legitimate hate crimes that happen everyday, while again bolstering Trump's "fake news" bullshit (which it largely is, aside from these twats)...but I enjoyed that show.

He's really an idiot though, they got caught because they had to take a ride share and cabs to the incident. If you're pulling off a caper like this, you discreetly pick up a beater for them do the job and then leave the city with, cameras can only follow so far, then they can switch cars and go to the airport. This is a what's what in how to completely botch a hoax.

m.tmz.com/2019/02/23/jussie-smollett-3500-dollars-money-attack-training/#!news/

Are we sure he is guilty?

Feb 24, 2019 22:15:03 GMT theend said:

m.tmz.com/2019/02/23/jussie-smollett-3500-dollars-money-attack-training/#!news/

Are we sure he is guilty?

Yes.

Feb 24, 2019 22:15:03 GMT theend said:

m.tmz.com/2019/02/23/jussie-smollett-3500-dollars-money-attack-training/#!news/

Are we sure he is guilty?

Even if he didn't pay them to beat his ass,(I still think he did though)  he still lied about who attacked him, and he still sent a threatening letter to himself. 

Feb 24, 2019 22:15:03 GMT theend said:

m.tmz.com/2019/02/23/jussie-smollett-3500-dollars-money-attack-training/#!news/

Are we sure he is guilty?

Feb 25, 2019 6:34:12 GMT thereallt said:

Feb 24, 2019 22:15:03 GMT theend said:

m.tmz.com/2019/02/23/jussie-smollett-3500-dollars-money-attack-training/#!news/

Are we sure he is guilty?

Even if he didn't pay them to beat his ass,(I still think he did though)  he still lied about who attacked him, and he still sent a threatening letter to himself. 

Did he send that letter?
www.complex.com/pop-culture/2019/02/jussie-smollett-attack-letter-fbi

Jussie the type of dude who wanted to be an actor his whole life, but dreamed to be a Victim and activist. Dude had a big roll on a big TV show and still wanted more. I always say that if his was some right wing actor like Tim Allen who said he got jumped by black dudes who called him a MAGA POS and it ended up being white kids who he paid off, the media would eat him alive and he would be the main topic of the Oscars.

Apparently Terrance Howard is telling Jussie to come clean to save his career. Even before he was caught, because TH didn’t believe the story from the jump.