Jussie Smollet: or, How Narratives Unravel

[Scomagia]

https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-47249574
Looks like someone got the "Other source" they wanted.
It's a shame that people these days can only respond with counter-jumping to conclusions but c'est la vie.

That article is a little behind. Please read the most recent update to the OP.

[Uiiop]

https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-47249574
Looks like someone got the "Other source" they wanted.
It's a shame that people these days can only respond with counter-jumping to conclusions but c'est la vie.

That article is a little behind. Please read the most recent update to the OP.

I prefer going by what the spokesman says has been found rather than what two anonymous sources "With knowledge(This just sound weasel wordly tbh)" saying what the police department really believes . Things could change i'd admit but the sources are vague in identity and have no explanation of the contradictions between their statements and what the spokesman has said.
Seems reasonable to put skepticism on them as well. Could be that they both are partially right and the police right or wrong is biased against Jussie's story without proof. Could be that these sources are lying for the same reason people think the vic is. Could be the sources are dissents in the investigations sending this news to try and force everyone else hands. We'll see.

[Proctopeo]

That article is a little behind. Please read the most recent update to the OP.

I prefer going by what the spokesman says has been found rather than what two anonymous sources "With knowledge(This just sound weasel wordly tbh)" saying what the police department really believes . Things could change i'd admit but the sources are vague in identity and have no explanation of the contradictions between their statements and what the spokesman has said.
Seems reasonable to put skepticism on them as well. Could be that they both are partially right and the police right or wrong is biased against Jussie's story without proof. Could be that these sources are lying for the same reason people think the vic is. Could be the sources are dissents in the investigations sending this news to try and force everyone else hands. We'll see.

A statement from the 15th is kinda outdated, especially when this has later been said
https://twitter.com/AJGuglielmi/status/ ... 3921977345
It's changed from "oh, they're just uninformed and inaccurate" to "we can't confirm nor deny the unofficially released statements, but the investigation has seen developments, also we're interviewing Smollett again".
Two days is a lot of difference, and who knows what the next development will be.

[Uiiop]

I prefer going by what the spokesman says has been found rather than what two anonymous sources "With knowledge(This just sound weasel wordly tbh)" saying what the police department really believes . Things could change i'd admit but the sources are vague in identity and have no explanation of the contradictions between their statements and what the spokesman has said.
Seems reasonable to put skepticism on them as well. Could be that they both are partially right and the police right or wrong is biased against Jussie's story without proof. Could be that these sources are lying for the same reason people think the vic is. Could be the sources are dissents in the investigations sending this news to try and force everyone else hands. We'll see.

A statement from the 15th is kinda outdated, especially when this has later been said
https://twitter.com/AJGuglielmi/status/ ... 3921977345
It's changed from "oh, they're just uninformed and inaccurate" to "we can't confirm nor deny the unofficially released statements, but the investigation has seen developments, also we're interviewing Smollett again".
Two days is a lot of difference, and who knows what the next development will be.

Thank you for giving a link to the spokesperson's twitter.
This particular statement is intentionally vague to the point one can't get a define hold on it's meaning. The change could only be because commentary on the news/unofficial sources before the eggs hatch looks bad for and/or in the police.
However like you said; who knows?

[Confederate States of German America]

https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-47249574
Looks like someone got the "Other source" they wanted.
It's a shame that people these days can only respond with counter-jumping to conclusions but c'est la vie.

Dude, your source is a week behind in a case that has seen new developments.

[Aclion]

https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2019/02/18/jussie-smollet-motive-staged-attack/amp/

Apparently Smollett's alleged motivation for staging the hoax, which he almost definitely did, was because he was upset at the response to the racist letter he received in January....which also seems like it was a hoax.

“When the letter didn’t get enough attention, he concocted the staged attack,” a source told CBS 2 Investigator Brad Edwards. Other sources corroborated that information.

The note was crafted with letters apparently cut out from magazines to form words. The pieced-together message contained racial and homophobic threats directed at Smollett. A magazine is one of the pieces of evidence retrieved from the brother’s home last week during a search conducted by CPD. Investigators also recovered a book of stamps.

This is a much much bigger deal. You don't fuck around with the US Postal Service.

[Des-Bal]

Thank you for giving a link to the spokesperson's twitter.
This particular statement is intentionally vague to the point one can't get a define hold on it's meaning. The change could only be because commentary on the news/unofficial sources before the eggs hatch looks bad for and/or in the police.
However like you said; who knows?

Describing information as "unofficially released" would seem to point more to "some rat fuck is talking out of turn" than "some dick with a block and agenda is making stuff up." Further in evidence of the idea that Smollet is being looked at as a perpetrator would be that he was being indicted today with the brothers as witnesses before his lawyers called the state and had it forestalled.

Every part of this sounds like bullshit. I mean it was cold enough for bleach and humans freeze but these racist homophobes with a deep familiarity with one of the gayest blackest shows on TV had his schedule so down pat that they knew he'd be hankering for a night sandwich.

Also I found the letter he was threatened with.

Can a racist homophobic death threat be described as adorable?

edit: Got a pic that blurred the address, I don't care if it's public I'm not dropping dox on a guy.

Doubleedit: Holy shit there was aspirin crushed up in the letter, false police report is one thing but if he staged a fake biological attack that got HAZMAT involved he's in for some shit.

[Andsed]

Thank you for giving a link to the spokesperson's twitter.
This particular statement is intentionally vague to the point one can't get a define hold on it's meaning. The change could only be because commentary on the news/unofficial sources before the eggs hatch looks bad for and/or in the police.
However like you said; who knows?

Describing information as "unofficially released" would seem to point more to "some rat fuck is talking out of turn" than "some dick with a block and agenda is making stuff up." Further in evidence of the idea that Smollet is being looked at as a perpetrator would be that he was being indicted today with the brothers as witnesses before his lawyers called the state and had it forestalled.

Every part of this sounds like bullshit. I mean it was cold enough for bleach and humans freeze but these racist homophobes with a deep familiarity with one of the gayest blackest shows on TV had his schedule so down pat that they knew he'd be hankering for a night sandwich.

Also I found the letter he was threatened with.

Can a racist homophobic death threat be described as adorable?

edit: Got a pic that blurred the address, I don't care if it's public I'm not dropping dox on a guy.

I would describe more as childish but to each their own/

[Shofercia]

Bye bye Jussie: https://deadline.com/2019/02/jussie-smo ... 202560053/

As the Chicago police investigation into what really happened to Jussie Smollett in the alleged assault last month intensifies its focus on the Empire actor, the Fox drama is cutting the performer out of the action.

He's earned it. Also:

While Smollett is not considered a formal suspect at present, prosecutors and law enforcement authorities are seeking to be enlightened by him about his private relationship with Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo. The brothers were previously described by Chicago police as “potential suspects” in the attack and arrested last week. Identified as the individuals in the photos of “persons of interest” in the Smollett case, the two were held without charge for 48 hours and then let go on the night of February 15. Formerly Empire extras, the Osundario siblings, at least one of whom had been Smollett’s personal trainer, are now “fully” cooperating with authorities. They have sat for a number of interviews with police in recent days.

It's all good though, he might land a job at CNN: https://babylonbee.com/news/jussie-smol ... f-thin-air

ATLANTA, GA—While Empire actor Jussie Smollett has been having a tough week so far, there appears to be a silver lining: cable news channel CNN has offered Smollett a job as an investigative reporter and on-air anchor after witnessing his skills at fabricating a story entirely out of thin air. CNN producers were reportedly impressed throughout the ongoing saga of Smollett's apparent hoax attack on himself. They realized early on the facts didn't add up but were fascinated with how well the actor kept the narrative going. An HR rep quickly reached out to Smollett to see if he'd be interested in taking on a position at the news organization after news broke that the entire thing was probably fabricated.

"Smollett has exactly the kind of skills we look for at our fine organization," said CNN correspondent Brian Stelter. "He picked a narrative, made up all the relevant facts and details, and stuck with his story in spite of glaring holes in the plot. It's hard to find people who understand our core values here at CNN, but Smollett seems to be just the guy for us." The actor has accepted the offer and is now undergoing training to learn how to weave even more intricate narratives ex nihilo, according to insiders.

Yes, that was parody, but would it be just as funny, if there wasn't at least a partial chance of it happening?

[The Two Jerseys]

Bye bye Jussie: https://deadline.com/2019/02/jussie-smo ... 202560053/

As the Chicago police investigation into what really happened to Jussie Smollett in the alleged assault last month intensifies its focus on the Empire actor, the Fox drama is cutting the performer out of the action.

The irony being that he supposedly staged the attack to guilt the producers into not writing him off the show...

[Ostroeuropa]

Hey guys. Remember how Racism Is a structural thing not just individual prejudice?

What do you think having a system built up where people can profit for telling slanderous lies about white people is, and those slanderous lies will be spread far and wide, if not structural racism?

[The Two Jerseys]

Annnnnnnd he's officially a suspect.

[Bezkoshtovnya]

Annnnnnnd he's officially a suspect.

Wonder how long it will be until he and his lawyers say the doubt and skepticism in light of all of the evidence is purely due to racism and hate in order to still keep up the narrative of the alleged attack.

[Novus America]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/chicago.cb ... -mask/amp/

And there is this...
Video evidence of the two individuals buying things used in the attack.

[Des-Bal]

Wonder how long it will be until he and his lawyers say the doubt and skepticism in light of all of the evidence is purely due to racism and hate in order to still keep up the narrative of the alleged attack.

You were outdrawn by his family.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... media.html

Video evidence of the very not white associates of the victim buying supplies in the attack is pretty damning.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

So, discussion time:
1. Do you believe that Smollett is telling the truth?

Seems there's reason to believe this may be a hoax. I'll wait until further confirmation to say anything.

2. If he is lying, what should the penalty be?

Fine him, perhaps.

3. Should the media be held accountable for popping off before any facts other than his statements came to light?

I think the issue here is that people need to wait until they get all the facts before jumping to conclusions. Media doesn't help and should also be slapped with a fine or at least a reprimand. Not that that will do anything, I'm sure. The name of this game is RATINGS.

[The South Falls]

The media should put "allegedly" before all of their statements, and stop jumping to conclusions.

[Aclion]

Annnnnnnd he's officially a suspect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_asNhzXq72w

Wonder how long it will be until he and his lawyers say the doubt and skepticism in light of all of the evidence is purely due to racism and hate in order to still keep up the narrative of the alleged attack.

From his good morning america interview; “I have to acknowledge the lies, and the hate,” he said. “And it feels like if I had said it was a Muslim, or a Mexican, or someone black, I feel like the doubters would have supported me much more. A lot more. And that says a lot about the place that we are in our country right now.”

[Bezkoshtovnya]

Wonder how long it will be until he and his lawyers say the doubt and skepticism in light of all of the evidence is purely due to racism and hate in order to still keep up the narrative of the alleged attack.

You were outdrawn by his family.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... media.html

Video evidence of the very not white associates of the victim buying supplies in the attack is pretty damning.

That tweet in the article drips with irony.

[Western Vale Confederacy]

The media should put "allegedly" before all of their statements, and stop jumping to conclusions.

That is of course a request they will be filing in the paper shredder.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

The media should put "allegedly" before all of their statements, and stop jumping to conclusions.

That is of course a request they will be filing in the paper shredder.

The onus is not solely on media. You can't believe blindly in what a news source is reporting 100% of the time. Check other sources before jumping into conclusions.

[Thanatttynia]

I mean is anyone really surprised a television actor is an attention seeker and fantasist

[Western Vale Confederacy]

I mean is anyone really surprised a television actor is an attention seeker and fantasist

Maybe next time, we’ll know better to not elect television show personalities and dramatic arts teachers to the highest political positions of the land.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

I mean is anyone really surprised a television actor is an attention seeker and fantasist

Especially a B rated one? No. But this could cause other legitimate cases of harassment to be dismissed outright or not taken with enough seriousness because of his actions. Something that Smollet, if (and let me emphasize on the IF) he's is attention seeking, hasn't considered.

[Thermodolia]

I mean is anyone really surprised a television actor is an attention seeker and fantasist

Especially a B rated one? No. But this could cause other legitimate cases of harassment to be dismissed outright or not taken with enough seriousness because of his actions. Something that Smollet, if (and let me emphasize on the IF) he's is attention seeking, hasn't considered.

Sadly those who do this never think how their actions will effect others