American Action News Chicago Police Release Smollett Files After Prosecutor Scuttles Case
AAN
Cook County prosecutors dismissed the 16-count indictment against Smollett, cutting a deal with the unrepentant actor in exchange for two days of community service and forfeiting $10,000 to the city.
Per Fox News:
The move made it possible for Smollett's attorneys to get his criminal case immediately sealed and wiped clean.
About an hour after the department released the files, the Chicago Police reportedly became subject of a court order that barred them from releasing further files even though they were widely available online.
The dismissal of charges against Smollett over the alleged attack drew a swift backlash from the city's mayor and police chief and raised questions about why Smollett was not forced to admit what prosecutors had said they could prove in court — that the entire episode was a publicity stunt.
The police files - some of which were redacted to remove witness names and personal information - laid out steps taken by detectives to get to the bottom of what happened the night of Jan. 29.
Police gathered much of their evidence by reviewing footage from approximately 55 surveillance cameras that tracked brothers Abimbola "Abel" Osundairo and Olabinjo "Ola" Osundairo who said they were paid by Smollett to carry out the attack on himself.