Chicago Prosecutor Kim Foxx Subpoenaed Over Jussie Smollett Case
Chicago Prosecutor Kim Foxx
(Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Chicago Prosecutor Kim Foxx has been subpoenaed to appear at a hearing over her actions related to the Jussie Smollett case, according to multiple reports.
Ex-appellate court judge Sheila O’Brien subpoenaed Foxx and her deputy Joseph Magats to appear in court. The retired judge is also reportedly pushing for the city to appoint a special prosecutor to look into how Foxx handled the case, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Last month, all charges against Smollett, who is accused of faking a hate crime attack against him, were dropped in a stunning turn of events.
Smollett was initially charged with 16 felony counts in relation to a January incident, where the Empire actor claimed he was attacked by two masked men who shouted homophobic and racist slurs.
Cops later accused Smollett of lying and staging the attack and are now suing the actor to recoup some of the overtime costs for police who investigated the case.
CHICAGO, IL – MARCH 14: Actor Jussie Smollett arrives at Leighton Criminal Courthouse on March 14, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images)
O’Brien has accused Foxx’s office of mishandling the case, calling her investigation “plagued with irregularity.”
On February 20, Foxx recused herself from the investigation after having a conversation with a relative of Smollett’s in relation to the case.
“Out of an abundance of caution, the decision to recuse herself was made to address potential questions of impartiality based upon familiarity with potential witnesses in the case,” Foxx’s office said in a statement released at the time.
A few weeks later, Foxx’s office dropped the charges against Smollett, citing her belief that there was not enough evidence against him to gain a conviction.
Now, after an outcry from Chicago authorities, Foxx will be forced to appear at the hearing to address the concerns.
“Foxx’s conflict in this matter is beyond dispute,” O’Brien wrote. “Foxx misled the public into believing that Smollett’s case was handled like any other prosecution and without influence.”
O’Brien went so far as to allege that Foxx had destroyed documents in relation to the case, arguing that authorities needed to see the docs to make sure “that they have not been altered or destroyed and will not be destroyed throughout this case.”
According to the New York Post, three members of Foxx’s team, including her ethics officer and her spokesperson, have left their jobs since the stunning news hit last month.
