Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines for December 15
Fox News Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines are here.
Special prosecutor Dan Webb has requested the full report into the handling of the Jussie Smollett investigation be released.
Webb will appear before Judge Michael Toomin on Monday to formally present the request, court documents obtained by Fox News Digital said.
Webb was appointed special prosecutor to the Smollett case in 2019, after Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s office dropped a 16-count indictment against the actor.
Former ‘Empire’ actor Jussie Smollett arrives at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building to hear the verdict in his trial on December 9, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Webb's job was to probe the handling of the Smollett case and the decision to drop the charges. His investigation led to a new 6-count indictment and accusations that Foxx's office abused prosecutorial discretion by dropping the original charges.
A 12-page summary of Webb's report was originally released to the public in August 2020, but the full report has remained sealed at Toomin's order. The judge had been worried about grand jury material contained in the longer version of Webb's report.
However, since Smollett has been convicted of five of the six charges of disorderly conduct, Webb is arguing the full report should be released.
"I filed this motion today because now that the Smollett trial ended with a conviction, the assignment given to my special prosecutor’s office by Judge Michael Toomin are almost complete," Webb told the Chicago Sun-Times.
In this courtroom sketch, special prosecutor Dan Webb, left, cross examines actor Jussie Smollett Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Cheryl Cook)
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
"I am in possession of a 60-page detailed evidence report that supports the factual conclusions that I publicly released to the public. Since the Smollett trial is final, I believe the public is entitled to see my 60 page evidence report."
The "Empire" actor was convicted on charges he staged an anti-gay, racist attack on himself nearly three years ago and then lied to Chicago police about it.
The jury found the 39-year-old actor guilty on five counts of disorderly conduct — for each separate time he was charged with lying to police in the days immediately after the alleged attack. He was acquitted on a sixth count, of lying to a detective in mid-February, weeks after Smollett said he was attacked.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Smollett was accused of lying to police when he reported that two masked men physically attacked him, yelling racist and anti-gay remarks near his Chicago home in 2019. Smollett was found guilty of five of the six counts against him. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Smollett's defense attorney said they will be appealing the actor's guilty verdicts
After the verdict was read, Nenye Uche told reporters Smollett was disappointed and that he is "100% innocent." He said Smollett’s team is confident "he’s going to be cleared of all, all accusations on all charges."
"The verdict is inconsistent," he said during a press conference following the verdicts. "You can’t say Jussie is lying and say Jussie is not lying for the same exact incident."
Fox News' Matt Finn and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trending
Fox News Entertainment
Get a daily look at the top news in music, movies, television and more in the entertainment industry.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.