According to reports, the Chicago Police Department has rejected phone records provided by Jussie Smollett citing them as “insufficient to corroborate some of the information.”
The claims coming from sources close to the police department say that Smollett hasn’t been cooperative with the authorities and their investigation.
Smollett on Tuesday (February 12, 2019) said he redacted some information from his phone before giving it to Chicago police investigating a reported attack on the Empire
actor in order to protect the privacy of contacts and people who are not relevant to the attack.
READ: Jussie Smollett Says He ‘Can’t Let the Motherf**kers Win’ at First Show Since Attack
However, Smollett’s team has come forward and summarily denied the claims of being uncooperative.
Below is the full statement from Smollett’s reps:
Jussie is the victim here, which has been stated by the Superintendent of Police. Jussie has voluntarily provided his phone records from within an hour of the attack and given multiple statements to police. Chicago PD has repeatedly informed us that they find Jussie’s account of what happened that night consistent and credible. Superintendent Johnson has been clear from day one that Jussie is a victim. We are continuing to work closely with the Chicago PD and remain confident that they will find Jussie’s attackers and bring them to justice.
Any redacted information was intended to protect the privacy of personal contacts or high-profile individuals not relevant to the attack.
Chicago Police have not told us that they are rejecting any records, nor have they expressed concerns about the records to us. Therefore, we don’t feel compelled to be bated into responding to uncorroborated press reports. We are dealing directly with the Chicago Police Department.
“We have no reason to doubt the statements, but for a criminal investigation, we need to independently confirm the phone records,” Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told the New York Post on Sunday.
READ: Police Release Photos Of ‘Persons Of Interest’ In Jussie Smollett Attack
Police also told Entertainment Tonight that detectives had recently obtained surveillance video from stores in the area where the attack happened to see if anyone bought rope around the time the incident occurred.
