An Illinois judge approved a special prosecutor to investigate actor Jussie Smollett and the decision of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office to drop all charges against him.
Cook County Judge Michael Toomin ruled Friday that after State Attorney Kim Foxx recused herself from the Smollett case, she had no legal authority to appoint her deputy to take it in her stead.
“Although disqualification of the duly elected State’s Attorney necessarily impacts constitutional concerns, the unprecedented irregularities identified in this case warrants the appointment of independent counsel to restore the public’s confidence in the integrity of our criminal justice system,” Toomin wrote in the decision.
BREAKING: Special prosecutor approved in Jussie Smollett case. @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/pD7oPMo1sN
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) June 21, 2019
The special prosecutor will investigate Smollett’s case and could potentially charge Smollett with crimes related to the case. The special prosecutor may also bring charges against Foxx’s office for potentially mishandling the case.
The Cook County inspector general is already investigating the decision by Foxx’s office to drop the case. Foxx has agreed to cooperate with the inspector general’s investigation.
The Chicago Police superintendent tweeted shortly after the news, “We stand firmly behind the work of detectives in investigating the fabricated incident reported by Jussie Smollett & #ChicagoPolice will fully cooperate with the court appointed special prosecutor.”
We stand firmly behind the work of detectives in investigating the fabricated incident reported by Jussie Smollett & #ChicagoPolice will fully cooperate with the court appointed special prosecutor. pic.twitter.com/bCDF0NYfzP
— Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) June 21, 2019
