Jussie Smollett Jokes About Being “Quarantined” Since “Hate Crime”

(AllHipHop News) Actor Jussie Smollett has returned to social media to share a song with fans in self-isolation amid the coronavirus chaos, joking he’s been in “quarantine” for over a year.

The former “Empire” star shared video footage of himself performing a cover of Stevie Wonder’s “A Place in the Sun” on Instagram on Wednesday, his first upload in over nine months.

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In the accompanying caption, Smollett wrote, “Quarantine day 421…,” – marking the number of days he’s been lying low since claiming he had been the victim of a vicious hate crime attack in Chicago, Illinois on January 29th, 2019.

The 37-year-old, who remains accused of staging the incident for publicity, added, “Hope y’all are staying safe. Spread love and kindness… not Rona.”

Smollett initially faced multiple disorderly conduct charges after Chicago Police Department bosses alleged he had paid brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo to pull off the street beating, but the criminal counts were abruptly dropped by Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx in March, 2019, with little explanation.

Special prosecutor Dan Webb was subsequently appointed to re-investigate the case, and six new felony counts of disorderly conduct were filed last month.

Jussie Smollett, who lost his job on hip-hop drama series Empire as a result of the scandal, has pleaded not guilty to the latest charges.

He has always maintained he is telling the truth about the attack.