A grand jury handed down 16 felony indictments against former "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett in the case in which he allegedly staged an attack on himself in late January.
Jussie Smollett Indicted on 16 Felony Counts
A grand jury handed down 16 felony indictments against former "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett in the case in which he allegedly staged an attack on himself in late January.

Jussie Smollett (Getty Images)
Photo: Getty Images
According to Fox News, the grand jury issued two separate sets of charges, one based on what Smollett initially told police about the attack, and the second based on an interview with a detective later that day.
Smollett reportedly told police that he was attacked by two masked men as he was walking home from a sandwich shop in the early morning on January 29. The actor said two masked men beat him and made racial and homophobic statements.
The two men were found, arrested, and interviewed by police. The investigation then turned toward Smollett when the men stated that Smollett had paid them to stage the attack.
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