Actor Jussie Smollett was indicted on charges of lying to a Grand Jury about his involvement in faking a hate crime. While Smollett was initially freed of his charges, a new prosecutor took initiative to ensure Smollett was held responsible for his heinous actions. Smollett can be re-tried since his statements in the initial trial were proven to be lies based off evidence uncovered from the fabricated crime.
Smollett's indictment is a success for more than just the City of Chicago. Fabricating a hate crime of this caliber disregards people who have been victims of hate crimes. Smollett could've, and may have, embedded a 'boy who cried wolf' mentality in the minds of those handling future hate crimes. While reported hate crimes would be taken serious by the City of Chicago despite this false report (I would hope), it still doesn't rectify the situation and the asinine actions of Smollett. This was a completely self-serving endeavor, despite Smollett's statements about advancing an anti-Trump political message. Smollett only thought of himself in these moments, not considering how awful it would be for a gay man to legitimately be the victim of a crime such as this. Smollett disregarded lived experiences of surviving and deceased hate crime victims- giving life to victim blame and doubtful vernacular.
Not only did Smollett disregard the LGBTQ+ community in such an awful, selfish, and thoughtless way, he also managed to slander and disregard Chicago. Battling titles like "Chi-Raq", Chicago has already been dealing with misrepresentation and judgement because of the crime that occurs in the city for years. People who live fearfully every day in the city because of the neighborhood they live in and the crime that inhabits it are a victim of Smollett's facade as well. For a California native to come to Chicago, act on one of the city's most popular television shows, and then falsify a hate crime in the city is about as inconsiderate and ignorant as it gets.
Luckily, with Smollett's recent indictment, justice has prevailed before the verdict has even be decided because Chicago is showing the world that faking a crime of this caliber in the city is something that will not be tolerated or taken lightly.
