Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson are pissed!
I think a prosecutor, or friend thereof, will be running for higher (hire?) office and will get a few juicy contributions from Mr. Smollett.
The odds of someone being indicted for any particular crime can be though of as a ratio of:
The amount of evidence they have against that person/The ability of that person to fight back
In other words, a prosecutor isnât likely to try to indict anyone who is rich and powerful unless thereâs a shit ton of irrefutable evidence against them whereas a poor black person is likely to get indicted if theyâre poor, black and a crime was committed anywhere within a few miles of anywhere they were on the day of the crime.
Using that ratio itâs easy to assume that, if a rich powerful person is indicted, they probably did it, If a poor black person is indicted, a crime was committed somewhere and if a middle class person is indicted, wait for the actual trial to see.
Conviction means you are guilty. Indictment means there is enough evidence to proceed to trial. IANAL, but I think that is essentially it.
Rahm Emanual is not happy
Jussie Smollett: Chicago mayor attacks âwhitewash of justiceâ as charges dropped
Decision to suddenly drop 16 charges questioned
Smollett: âI have been truthful and consistent on every levelâ
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/mar/26/jussie-smollett-charges-dropped-latest-news-maga-attack-lies-accusations-empire-actor
Emanuel and Johnson, the police superintendent, attacked in forceful terms the prosecutorsâ decision.
Emanuel said: âThis is without a doubt a whitewash of justice, and sends a clear message that if youâre in a position of influence and power, youâll get treated one way. And other people will get treated another way.â
He hit out at Smollett for refusing to acknowledge wrongdoing. He also said the hoax would hurt other hate-crime victims.
So the Chicago police are mad are they?