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House SpeakerNancy Pelosideleted a tweet she’d shared in support ofJussie Smollettafter Chicago police saidthere have been “developments”in the investigation into the alleged hate attack on theEmpireactor.
Pelosi, 78, tweeted her disgust with the alleged attack on Jan. 29 after the Chicago Police Department said theEmpirestar was allegedly involved in a “racially-charged assault and battery.”
“The racist, homophobic attack on @JussieSmollett is an affront to our humanity,” she wrote on Jan. 30. “No one should be attacked for who they are or whom they love. I pray that Jussie has a speedy recovery & that justice is served. May we all commit to ending this hate once & for all.”
Jussie Smollett.Leon Bennett/Getty
In astatementreleased on Sunday, Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi acknowledged “developments” in the investigation.
“While we are not in a position to confirm, deny or comment on the validity of what’s been unofficially released, there are some developments in this investigation and detectives have some follow-ups to complete which include speaking to the individual who reported the incident,” said Guglielmi followingmultiple reportsthat police sources said authorities suspect Smollett, 36, orchestrated the attack on himself. Smollett has vehemently denied that the attack was a hoax.
Pelosi was not the only high-profile politician to weigh in. Sen. Cory Booker and Sen. Kamala Harris, who both recently launched2020 presidential campaigns,each calledthealleged attackan “attempted modern-day lynching” on Twitter.
Both of their tweets remain, though Booker said this weekend he would withhold further comment “until all the information actually comes out from on the record sources,” according toCNN.
Guglielmi confirmed in a statement Friday that police hadarrested and questionedtwo brothers in the case, but released them without charges.
RELATED VIDEO: Jussie Smollett Breaks Down Over Fears His Apparent Hate Crime Attackers Will Never Be Found
Then, on Saturday, Guglielmi indicated that “trajectory of the investigation” had “shifted,” according to the Associated Press.
CBS Evening News, citing a police source, reported that the individuals in question were two brothers who claimed Smollett paid them to participate in the alleged incident.
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“One of these purported suspects was Jussie’s personal trainer who he hired to ready him physically for a music video,” his attorneys continued. “It is impossible to believe that this person could have played a role in the crime against Jussie or would falsely claim Jussie’s complicity.”
In a statement provided to PEOPLE, attorneys for Smollett denied reports claiming the star would be meeting with Chicago police on Monday.
“There are no plans for Jussie to meet with Chicago police today. Any news reports suggesting otherwise are inaccurate,” the statement read. “Smollett’s attorneys will keep dialogue going with Chicago police on his behalf. We have no further comment today.”
source: people.com
