Charges Against Jussie Smollett Dropped

Prosecutors in Cook County, Ill., dropped charges against Jussie Smollett on Tuesday, an astonishing reversal that came a month after the actor was arrested, charged with lying to police about a bigoted attack and pilloried by Chicago’s top police official on live television.

Prosecutors announced their decision only 18 days after a grand jury had indicted Smollett on 16 felony counts. In dropping the charges, officials cited the actor’s history of volunteer work and the two days of community service he had performed since his arrest, as well as his...

Now what, Jussie Smollett?

In the space of two months, the "Empire" star, 36, has gone from crime victim to indicted crime suspect and back to victim again, now claiming total exoneration after Chicago prosecutors abandoned their case against him Tuesday. Meanwhile, Chicago police and Mayor Rahm Emanuel continued to shout angrily about his alleged guilt.

Cook County prosecutors are not explaining why they did what they did, so the public is still in the dark about what happened and why. Officially, Smollett's record is expunged but there's...