The Daily Wire’s Emily Zanotti is reporting Thursday that the Illinois Prosecutors Bar Association has issued a lengthy statement blasting the manner in which charges were dropped against “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett.
It now looks like Cook County's "deal" with Jussie Smollett isn't just strange, it might actually be in violation of Illinois law. https://t.co/7j3jnqJyO4
— Emily Zanotti (@emzanotti) March 28, 2019
Shocker!! ?
— ChiTown?Girl? (@KristyKelly013) March 28, 2019
Here’s a sample:
The manner in which this case was dismissed was abnormal and unfamiliar to those who practice law in criminal courthouses across the State. Prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges alike do not recognize the arrangement Mr. Smollett received. Even more problematic, the State’s Attorney and her representatives have fundamentally misled the public on the law and circumstances surrounding the dismissal.
The public has the right to know the truth, and we set out to do that here.
…
The appearance of impropriety here is compounded by the fact that this case was not on the regularly scheduled court call, the public had no reasonable notice or opportunity to view these proceedings, and the dismissal was done abruptly at what has been called an “emergency” hearing. To date, the nature of the purported emergency has not been publicly disclosed. The sealing of a court case immediately following a hearing where there was no reasonable notice or opportunity for the public to attend is a matter of grave public concern and undermines the very foundation of our public court system.
Lastly, the State’s Attorney has claimed this arrangement is “available to all defendants” and “not a new or unusual practice.” There has even been an implication it was done in accordance with a statutory diversion program. These statements are plainly misleading and inaccurate. This action was highly unusual, not a statutory diversion program, and not in accordance with well-accepted practices of State’s Attorney initiated diversionary programs.
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As Twitchy reported, the community service that Smollett allegedly performed as part of his “deal” with the State’s Attorney’s Office wasn’t even court-ordered and therefore not part of the deal; apparently, Kim Foxx received a letter from the Rainbow PUSH Coalition that Smollett had helped out around the office and that was considered “time served.”
That's a strong statement.
— Lairdy D. Lee (@LairdyLee) March 28, 2019
This is a breathtaking rebuke!
— Katie Clemency (@KatieClemency) March 29, 2019
Wow. No mincing of words!
— Diane Rivero (@rivero_diane) March 29, 2019
That's going to leave a mark.
— mog1717 (@mog1717) March 28, 2019
Wow. Foxx has to resign
— LB (@beyondreasdoubt) March 28, 2019
Removal or resignation. Wait for it.
— David V Mummery?? (@MrDMummery) March 29, 2019
The new norm is wait 2 weeks and hope it blows over.
— Don Graham (@DgrahamDon) March 28, 2019
It's the Chicago way.
— William Kunert (@WilliamKunert) March 28, 2019
The most blatant thing was not requiring him to accept responsibility. This whole deal was made so he could wrongly claim he was targeted by cops. Shame on Kim Foxx
— Greg (@baxtertnvol) March 28, 2019
— LORD SCREWTAPE (@screwtape1a12) March 29, 2019
What judge went along with this travesty?
— Jake Jacobsen (@DrJakeJ) March 29, 2019
I’ve been wondering the same thing.
— pcoastfool (@pcoastfool) March 29, 2019
There is no law in Illinois. It is all negotiable.
— MarginalResult (@MarginalResult) March 28, 2019
I used the wrong word. I meant “fungible”
— MarginalResult (@MarginalResult) March 28, 2019
Something happened that made disposing of that case URGENT for somebody. There are any number of ways for a prosecutor to make a case go away, even an incompetent fool wouldn't choose to do it the way they did it. There's something else going on here. Something very bad.
— Scott Delaney (@scottpdelaney) March 28, 2019
These people are just plain bad. Really really bad people.
— AK (@NyackTrader) March 28, 2019
The mainstream media’s just going to let this blow over, aren’t they? At least somebody’s keeping the pressure on.
Related:
'Are you kidding!?!?!' Jussie Smollett's lawyer has got some 'giant cojones' issuing a statement like this https://t.co/aJioVorIM6
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) March 28, 2019
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