Jussie Smollett seen donating a car-full of items to non-profit aiding domestic violence victims in LA with sister Jurnee... after judge DENIED his bid to drop criminal case over 'faked' racist attack in 2019
Jussie Smollett put his legal woes behind him on Saturday by paying it forward to the Jenesse Center in Los Angeles, which is a 'non-profit domestic violence intervention and prevention organization.'
The 39-year-old actor, with the help of his Jurnee Smollett and her ex-husband Josiah Bell, dropped off a plethora of items that filled the entire truck of their car.
Some of the items included toys, articles of children's clothing and a car seat.
Charitable: Jussie Smollett put his legal woes behind him on Saturday by paying it forward to the Jenesse Center in Los Angeles, which is a 'non-profit domestic violence intervention and prevention organization'
The outing comes just two weeks after a judge denied Jussie's last ditch attempt to dismiss his criminal case for allegedly lying to police when he reported that he was the victim of a racist, anti-gay attack, and a date has been set for trial.
Back in January of 2019, Smollett had told police that two masked men attacked him in downtown Chicago in January 2019, where he was filming Empire.
He was charged weeks later with filing a false police report, after investigators concluded that he staged the attack and paid two brothers to carry it out because he was unhappy about his salary and wanted to promote his career.
Family affair: The 39-year-old actor, with the help of his Jurnee Smollett and her ex-husband Josiah Bell, dropped off a plethora of items that filled the entire truck of their car
Quick call: Bell seen taking a call outside the non-profit as Jussie and Jurnee unloaded their car
An attorney for the former Empire actor, who played Jamal Lyon on the show, said Smollett's rights were being violated.
He has already performed community service and given up a $10,000 bond under a previous deal with Cook County prosecutors to drop charges.
'A deal is a deal. That's ancient principle,' attorney Nenye Uche said.
But Judge James Linn noted that Smollett's case now was being led by a special prosecutor appointed by another judge, an arrangement that he would not upset.
Jussie Smollett (pictured leaving the courthouse today) played Jamal Lyon on hit show Empire (right). A judge denied his last-ditch effort to dismiss criminal charges against him for allegedly lying to police about a racist attack against him in January 2019
The Chicago police charged the actor (pictured in court in March) with filing a false police report. His jury selection begins November 29
The men accused of helping orchestrate the attack were identified as Abel and Ola Osundairo. The pair were detained and questioned by police on February 13, 2019. They were later released on February 19.
Smollett allegedly agreed to pay them $3,500 to stage the attack.
Ola Osundairo is a personal trainer who appeared in an episode of Empire. Smollet and Ola reportedly became friendly and traded 'workout tips' via text message.
On February 20, Smollett was arrested and accused of lying to the police.
He was bailed out on a $10,000 cash bond and charged with 16 counts of disorderly conduct for filing a false police report.
Smollett was hospitalized following the fight that he allegedly paid two brothers $3,500 to attack him
The Chicago Police arrested him in February 2019 for filing a false police report. He was released on February 20 after paying a $10,000 bail. That case, however, was dropped on March 26 by the Cook County State's Attorney's Office in return for the actor forfeiting the $10,000 bond he paid
The actor seen leaving Cook County Court after posting 10 per cent of his 100,000 bond
His attackers were identified as Abel and Ola Osundairo. Ola was on one episode of Empire and Smollett and allegedly swapped workout tips via texts afterward
That case, however, was dropped on March 26 by the Cook County State's Attorney's Office in return for the actor forfeiting the $10,000 bond he paid.
The City of Chicago would later sue Smollett for $130,000 for the cost of the investigation.
The case was revived when a special prosecutor charged Smollett with disorderly conduct over the police reports. The actor has pleaded not guilty.
Although Uche tried to have the case dismissed, he said Smollett wants 'nothing more than to go to a jury and clear his name.'
Speaking on Marc Lamont Hill's Instagram in mid-September, the actor said: 'I'm going to give it up to God, but if I'm being completely honest, I don't think that... they're not going to let this go.
Smollett (center) starred in the show alongside Taraji P. Henson (left) and Terrence Howard (right)
The actor reportedly staged the attack because he was allegedly unhappy about his salary and wanted to promote his career
'There is an example being made and the sad thing is there is an example being made of someone who did not do what they are accused of.
'On one hand, when I step back, I see how [Chicago Police] played the narrative, the way that they served it to the people. That it was intentionally created to make people doubt from the very beginning.
'From the very, very beginning, it was made to seem that I was lying about something or everything. But at the same time, I'm not really living for the people who don't believe.'
The city of Chicago have requested that the FBI hand over records of their own probe into Mr Smollett's case.
Linn said jury selection in Smollett's trial would start November 29.
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