Empire actor

Jussie Smollett: Actor faces six new charges

The Empire actor said he was the subject of a racist and homophobic attack in Chicago last year.

Authorities have accused him of staging the attack on himself for publicity, something he has always denied.

Smollett now faces six counts of disorderly conduct, special prosecutor Dan Webb said in a statement.

In January last year, Chicago police said they were investigating a suspected racist and homophobic attack on Smollett by two masked men.

Former Empire star Jessie Smollett files lawsuit against Chicago for malicious prosecution

Chicago filed a lawsuit in April seeking reimbursement of more than NZ$202,000 for overtime paid to police officers who were involved in investigating the alleged January attack.

Smollett’s attorneys filed a response Tuesday in federal court. It said the city should not be allowed to recover costs from Smollett because it accepted $15,600 from the actor “as payment in full in connection with the dismissal of the charges against him.”

They also filed a counterclaim, saying Smollett was the victim of a malicious prosecution that caused him humiliation and extreme distress.