Jussie Smollett's lawyer threatens to depose Rahm Emanuel if Chicago lawsuit goes forward

Jussie Smollett.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Jussie Smollett's lawyer is pushing back as Chicago prepares a civil lawsuit, saying he will demand Mayor Rahm Emanuel and others be deposed if it goes forward.

After the Empire star did not meet the city's demand that he pay $130,000 in reimbursement for their investigation, Chicago's Law Department on Thursday said it is preparing a lawsuit against him. Smollett had said in January he was the victim of a hate crime, but police subsequently concluded that Smollett staged the attack himself. All charges against Smollett were later dropped, however, and he has continued to maintain his innocence.

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.