Jussie Smollett: prosecutors drop charges against actor accused of fabricating

[Razgovory]

I agree that the underlying crime was victimless and all, but I would have liked to have seen a lying to police charge stick.

I disagree that it was victimless. It was a false accusation that was deleterious to the social fabric of the nation.  Not to mention a waste of police resources.

This has not been a great week for the left.

What does "the left" have to do with this development exactly 

It's never a good day for the left when the rich and powerful escape punishment for their crimes.

[jimmy olsen]

This reeks of prosecutorial corruption.

Maybe.  Or maybe he/she just thought there were more important cases to solve with the limited resources at their disposal?  Or it could be that the evidence gathered was circonstancial, hard to really convince a jury it was a premeditated setup to increase his value on the show?  Maybe the 16 counts were there not to secure a conviction but to scare him into a confession/plea bargain instead of a trial?

The evidence, as I understand it, was overwhelming. I mean, the cops caught the two dudes he hired to fake the attack, and they confessed. I dunno if they have to prove why he staged it, only that he did.

CPD has a history of torturing confessions out of minorities though. They've had to be pay out over 150 million due to lawsuits over this.

So, even if Smollet is 100% guilty I think there's definitely a possibility that the cops did something shady to get the proof and the prosecutors dropped the case rather than risk having high priced lawyers bring that to light.

[Malthus]

Given that Trump is now inserting himself into the story, it is likely to become even more of a clusterfuck than it is already:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-jussie-smollett/trump-calls-smollett-case-embarrassment-announces-review-idUSKCN1R91C2

[Malthus]

So, even if Smollet is 100% guilty I think there's definitely a possibility that the cops did something shady to get the proof and the prosecutors dropped the case rather than risk having high priced lawyers bring that to light.

There is at least some evidence that there are problems in the prosecutor's office over this case (the head prosecutor had to withdraw from the case over a conflict of interest). So far, there isn't any evidence about the cops. Though no doubt we shall see, in excruciating detail ... 

[jimmy olsen]

We'll they certainly have been leaking a lot to the press, which they shouldn't be doing.

[derspiess]

I agree that the underlying crime was victimless and all, but I would have liked to have seen a lying to police charge stick.

I disagree that it was victimless. It was a false accusation that was deleterious to the social fabric of the nation.  Not to mention a waste of police resources.

This has not been a great week for the left.

What does "the left" have to do with this development exactly 

Smollett was briefly given hero status by several SJWs on the left.  I wouldn't extrapolate that to the left at large, but if the "attack" had actually occurred it would have given teh left a cudgel to beat Trump supporters with.

[viper37]

I agree that the underlying crime was victimless and all, but I would have liked to have seen a lying to police charge stick.

I disagree that it was victimless. It was a false accusation that was deleterious to the social fabric of the nation.  Not to mention a waste of police resources.

This has not been a great week for the left.

What does "the left" have to do with this development exactly 

Smollett was briefly given hero status by several SJWs on the left.  I wouldn't extrapolate that to the left at large, but if the "attack" had actually occurred it would have given teh left a cudgel to beat Trump supporters with.

Sadly true.

[garbon]

Why would that be sad if true? I mean, yes sad that Trump supporters took his rhetoric to attack minorities, but why sad that reasonable people would have used it as yet another example of the hurt that Trump has caused?

[viper37]

but why sad that reasonable people would have used it as yet another example of the hurt that Trump has caused?

SJW aren't reasonable.
The far left isn't reasonable.

A reasonable person would have waited at least for the police to complete an investigation before attacking Trump, or anyone else on this.

If a woman claims to have been raped in the subway by a gang of black people with rastas, the far right would have used it as yet another example that black&minorities are dangerous.  Are they reasonable people?  I do not think so.  Wait at least for the police to confirm the facts, to arrest a suspect.  Eye-witness testimonies are very often unreliable.  3 people watching the same event will have 3 versions of what happened.

The overreaction of some people on social medias (fortunately, no major newspaper seems to have run the story on condemning Trump for this) was the problem.  The overreaction of the unreasonable people gave credence to Trump's paranoia that everyone is out to get him and smear his "good reputation", that's how his supporters see it, and many "on the fence" are likely to find him much more sympathetic after this and the MAGA hat kids.

[The Minsky Moment]

Given that Trump is now inserting himself into the story, it is likely to become even more of a clusterfuck than it is already:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-jussie-smollett/trump-calls-smollett-case-embarrassment-announces-review-idUSKCN1R91C2

Right - if there was corruption here, a federal probe might be warranted.  Trump's intervention basically guarantees that the targets of such probes could complain of politically motivated prosecution.

[Oexmelin]

I wouldn't extrapolate that to the left at large, but if the "attack" had actually occurred it would have given teh left a cudgel to beat Trump supporters with.

It's really too bad. Now there are no more arguments left against Trump supporters.

[dps]

This reeks of prosecutorial corruption.

Maybe.  Or maybe he/she just thought there were more important cases to solve with the limited resources at their disposal?  Or it could be that the evidence gathered was circonstancial, hard to really convince a jury it was a premeditated setup to increase his value on the show?  Maybe the 16 counts were there not to secure a conviction but to scare him into a confession/plea bargain instead of a trial?

There was no plea deal.  He agreed to forfeit his bond in return for the charges being dropped, but there was no requirement that he confess.  In fact, he is instead continuing to maintain that he is innocent.

What does "circonstantial" mean?  Was it a typo and you intended to type "circumstantial"?

[Razgovory]

Smollett was briefly given hero status by several SJWs on the left.  I wouldn't extrapolate that to the left at large, but if the "attack" had actually occurred it would have given teh left a cudgel to beat Trump supporters with.

Why would you care?

[derspiess]

Smollett was briefly given hero status by several SJWs on the left.  I wouldn't extrapolate that to the left at large, but if the "attack" had actually occurred it would have given teh left a cudgel to beat Trump supporters with.

Why would you care?

About what?

[viper37]

What does "circonstantial" mean?  Was it a typo and you intended to type "circumstantial"?

yes.  sorry.  I'm getting worst at writing in the only 2 languages I know.