CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Actor Jussie Smollett, charged with disorderly conduct for falsifying an aggravated battery police report, maintained his innocence on Thursday while walking out of court and returning to the set of "Empire" in Chicago.
Smollett went to the Cinespace Chicago Film Studios on the West Side after getting out of jail and reportedly apologized to cast members of "Empire" and maintained innocence.
Earlier Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson detailed the evidence.
"It's just despicable. It makes you wonder what's going through someone's mind," he said.
In a statement, Smollett's legal team said he "feels betrayed by a system that apparently wants to skip due process and proceed directly to sentencing." The full statement read:
"Today we witnessed an organized law enforcement spectacle that has no place in the American legal system. The presumption of innocence, a bedrock in the search for justice, was trampled at the expense of Mr. Smollett and notably, on the eve of a Mayoral election. Mr. Smollett is a young man of impeccable character and integrity who fiercely and solemnly maintains his innocence and feels betrayed by a system that apparently wants to skip due process and proceed directly to sentencing."
Smollett appeared in court Thursday afternoon. The 26-year old is accused of falsely reporting aggravated battery, after lying about being beaten on Jan. 29 in Streeterville by two men who yelled racial and homophobic slurs, threw bleach on him and put a noose around his neck. They allegedly yelled Chicago is "MAGA country."
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Prosecutor Raisa Lanier said Smollet was angry, because producers of "Empire" downplayed a homophobic letter police now believe he sent to himself. So he cast brothers Ola and Abel Osundiro as attackers and himself as the victim, laying it out three days before and paying them in advance.
"Smollett...provided them with a $3,500 personal check made payable to Abel, which was backdated to Jan. 23."
Lanier said Smollett told the brothers to beat him up, but not too badly. She said the entire attack took 45 seconds.
The actor did little talking at a court hearing at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building.
Judge John Fitzgerald Lyke Jr. set his bail at $100,000. The judge declined defense attorneys' request to release Smollett on his own recognizance. The judge said that would be inappropriate, given the gravity of the allegations. Smollett sighed and rolled his eyes during the bond hearing and was scolded by the judge.
Family members promptly posted the $100,000 bond. Both Smollett and his family refused comment afterwards.
He will be on electronic monitoring and is prohibited from speaking with two men whom he allegedly enlisted to help him stage the attack. He also had is passport revoked.
Smollett has previously denied faking the incident, even as new information came to light that helped cause his story to unravel. His legal team has promised a vigorous defense, but also declined comment after court.
"Not right now," said Jussie Smollett's attorney Tina Glandian when asked for comment leaving Leighton Criminal Courthouse in Chicago, where Smollett appeared earlier in bond court. @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/e7xh2yDx8r
— Wendy Widom (@wendywidom) February 21, 2019The actor was seen leaving the courthouse and being taken to Cinespace Studios in Chicago, where "Empire" is filmed.
20th Century Fox released a statement after Smollett turned himself in Thursday morning. It read:
"We understand the seriousness of this matter and we respect the legal process. We are evaluating the situation and we are considering our options."
The company has not made any further comments.
"We understand the seriousness of this matter and we respect the legal process. We are evaluating the situation and we are considering our options." - STATEMENT FROM 20TH CENTURY FOX TELEVISION AND FOX ENTERTAINMENT
— 20th Century Fox TV (@20centuryfoxTV) February 21, 2019The FBI continues to investigate the threatening letter that was sent to the Chicago studio. Chicago Police believe Smollett sent the letter to himself.
It is unclear if Smollett will face additional charges.
