(AllHipHop News) With only forty days left in the year, it seemed the country would move into 2020 without any more news about Jussie Smollett. However, the former Empire star is back in the headlines this week.
According to reports, Smollett filed a counterclaim on Tuesday aimed at the city of Chicago after local officials sued the actor in April. Both lawsuits stem from the controversial assault investigation which eventually led to prosecutors announcing, then dropping, 16 felony charges against Smollett for allegedly lying about a hate crime.
Chicago is said to be seeking $130,106 from Smollett for costs of police overtime hours and a civil penalty of $1,000 for each of his alleged lies. The 37-year-old entertainment veteran is accusing the city and multiple police officers of malicious prosecution.
“Having agreed to accept $10,000 from Mr. Smollett as payment in full connection with the dismissal of the charges against him the City cannot seek additional recovery from Mr. Smollett under the doctrine of accord and satisfaction,” reads Smollett’s complaint.
Additionally, he also accused the Chicago PD of causing “humiliation, mental anguish, and extreme emotional distress” for supposedly disseminating “false and misleading information” about the case. Smollett still insists he was telling the truth about being attacked in January by two men in ski masks who called him racial and homophobic slurs.