CHICAGO, IL, May 28, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ -- All City of Chicago cases against Jussie Smollett are finally and completely closed. On Wednesday, May 28, 2025, Judge Virginia Kendall signed off on the agreement between the City of Chicago and Smollett, dismissing the City's civil case against him and finalizing the episode which began six years ago.
The case was dismissed with prejudice, which means Smollett cannot be re-tried. In 2019, he was charged with disorderly conduct after he reported a hate crime to local police. He has maintained his innocence throughout.
"Mr. Smollett feels fully vindicated and is relieved that this awful chapter of his life is over. Initial criminal charges against him were dropped and the criminal case that reached the Illinois Supreme Court was overturned by unanimous decision," said a Smollett spokesperson.
"As part of the agreement to resolve the City's civil suit, he has contributed $50,000 to the Building Brighter Futures Center for the Arts—a local nonprofit doing remarkable work fostering creativity, self-expression, and artistic exploration among local youth," Smollett's representative said.
"We are deeply grateful to Mr. Smollett for the generous $50,000 donation he made to Building Brighter Futures Center for the Arts," said CEO Dr. Pamela Blackman.
"This remarkable gift is more than a contribution. It's a powerful investment in our youth during a very critical time. This donation strengthens our ability to provide access to high quality education assistance, career training, mentorship, and creative space for the next generation of Chicago changemakers," Blackman said.
In the civil case against Smollett, the City sued for $130,000, the amount allegedly paid to investigate his hate crime claim. However, in the settlement agreement, the City received zero payment.
"Mr. Smollett has said he is really grateful to have had the resources to defend himself because so many people don't. They're often pressured into taking plea deals or admitting to crimes they didn't commit simply because they lack the means to fight back," said the rep.
"So completely separate and outside of his agreement with the city, he is donating an additional $10,000.00 in their honor to the Chicago Torture Justice Center which provides resources to communities healing from police violence," the Smollett spokesperson said.
"We are honored and grateful for Jussie Smollett's generous contribution of $10,000 to the Chicago Torture Justice Center. It is so meaningful and deeply impactful. Because we are the first center of our kind in the country, our work of supporting survivors' healing is critical and needed," said Aislinn Pulley, executive director, Chicago Torture Justice Center.
"To anyone who has had to prove they have in fact been violated, I stand with and for you," said Smollett in a statement. His final word, "Onward."
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