Media reports this week claimed that the Chicago Police Department found that Jussie Smollett had Googled himself over 50 times in the days after he claimed to be assaulted.
But Smollett’s lawyer Tina Glandian said it wasn’t the “Empire” actor who searched his name, it was one of the brothers Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo. She didn’t indicate which of the two men it was, however.
Earlier this week, the CPD released details of their investigation on Smollett, who on Jan. 29 reported that he’d been beaten in a racial and homophobic attack. He claimed the assault was committed by two men, and they poured bleach on him and put a noose around his neck.
Officials already released footage of the former “Empire” star wearing that noose as police arrived to his apartment. Smollett said he wanted to keep the rope on so police could actually see it.
The CPD also released pages of Google searches and a handwritten note attached that read “Smollett search.”
But according to Glandian, the police note meant Smollett’s name was actually being searched, and he wasn’t the one who did the Googling.
The attorney also said the searches referred to Visas since the brothers were traveling from Istanbul to their home country of Nigeria. And there were other searches made that wouldn’t apply to Smollett, which she says prove he didn’t Google his own name 50 times after he reported the attack.
“The notation on the top of the page which reads ‘Smollett search,’ seems to refer to the fact that the searches related to him,” said Glandian in a statement.
“Entry 116 on 1/31/2019 is probably most telling, with a search for ‘Visa on arrival Nigeria. Numerous text messages between the brothers unsealed in the discovery also reference their Visas. Furthermore, entry 117 for ‘akc reunite’ is related to a pet recovery service (I believe the Osundairo brothers had at least one dog and a parrot; Jussie does not have any pets).”
Other investigative details released by CPD include a sexual text exchange between the actor and Abimbola Osundairo. Smollett asked Osundairo if he wanted to come to his apartment and get a massage by a female masseuse.
Smollett then said he was getting one himself by a male masseur, who was also performing a sex act on him.
In March, the actor was slapped with a 16-count indictment for allegedly lying about the attack, but it was later dropped after Chicago State Attorney Kim Foxx appointed a top aide to handle the case.
But last week a Cook County judge appointed a special prosecutor and said Foxx didn’t have the authority to hand off the case. So Smollett could still face charges, depending on what the special prosecutor determines.
