The Suspects In Jussie Smollet’s Attack Have Been Released With No Charges Filed
In a case that is ascending to an Olivia Pope-level of twisty, People reports that the two brothers who were arrested on suspicion of attacking Jussie Smollet on January 29 have been released without being charged with anything and are no longer suspects…. and are now free to continue to be the Nigerian version of Right Said Fred on Instagram.
Ola and Abel Osundairo, the two brothers from Nigeria, were arrested this past Wednesday at O’Hare Airport by Chicago PD on suspicion of battery. Their house was also raided by police. Here’s what the cops had to say about the men being released via People:
“Due to new evidence as a result of today’s interrogations, the individuals questioned by police in the Empire case have now been released without charging,” Chicago Police Department Chief Communications Officer Anthony Guglielmi said on Twitter Friday evening.
“Detectives have additional investigative work to complete,” Guglielmi added.
Because the two haven’t been charged with anything, the police are withholding “identifying information about them.”
The brothers’ lawyer Gloria Schmidt told the press last night that the “new evidence” in the case was supplied to the cops by her clients. When she was asked if the whole thing was indeed a hoax, “she answered obliquely, saying there were moving parts and she didn’t want to speculate.”
She also would’t say why the brothers were trying to fly back to Nigeria when they were arrested but that it was “a great question.” (Then answer it, girl!) She also vague-booked it by saying that they had “a story” to tell “when the time is right.”
Jussie says that his attackers yelled racist and homophobic slurs at him and declared their allegiance to MAGA. And it turns out that, according to TMZ’s sources on the Empire set, the Osundairo brothers aren’t from the MAGA portion of Nigeria. A source says they’re not anti-LGBTQ, either and everyone likes them.
We’ve spoken with “Empire” cast and crew, and they say Ola and Abel Osundairo do not fit the profile of racists and homophobes — not even close. As we reported, both men have been extras on “Empire” for years and both are friendly with Jussie, and Abel is especially close to him. We’re told Jussie would frequently approach the brothers on set and chat about health and fitness.
Ola and Abel are also not known to be sporting MAGA caps or for trying to kill the BBC at Trump rallies.
Our Empire sources say Abel especially is an ally of the LGBTQ community, and neither have ever said anything positive about Trump. They’re both big Obama fans.
Seriously, Scandal might be off the air, but Jussie’s still going to need Olivia Pope to come back, slide on her white opera gloves, and get to the bottom of this.
Pic: Instagram