Jussie Smollett Pleads Not Guilty to New Charges for Allegedly Staging Attack

Jussie Smollett has entered a not guilty plea to the new charges brought against him.

The 37-year-old actor entered the plea on Monday (February 24) to the six new charges he received earlier this month for allegedly staging a hate crime and filing a false police report back in January 2019, The Chicago Tribune reports.

Jussie and his lawyers appeared in court in Chicago, asking for a delay in the arraignment, but the judge dismissed the delay.

Jussie‘s bond was set at $20,000 and he was released on his own recognizance. He is due back in court on March 18.

Jussie has been accused of lying to the police in Chicago after claiming that he was attacked outside of his apartment. He had said that the alleged attackers poured bleach on him, used racial and homophobic slurs, and even put a rope around his neck. It was later discovered that Jussie paid two men to carry out the attack, though he still maintains his innocence.

Back in early 2019, the initial charges against Jussie were dropped in exchange for the forfeiture of the $10,000 he paid in bail money.

Find out if Jussie Smollett will be returning for the series finale of Empire.