Jussie Smollett’s criminal case file has been ordered to be unsealed by a Chicago judge.
The judge ruled that the ‘Empire’ actor hasn’t “shown good cause to rebut the public presumption of access.”
According to Judge Watkins’ ruling, Jussie’s decision to go on TV and speak on the case in the media forfeited his right to privacy-orders.
“Smollett voluntarily appeared on national television speaking about the incident in detail. After the March 26 dismissal, he voluntarily stood in front of cameras from numerous news organizations in the courthouse lobby and spoke about the case,” Judge Steven Watkins said in a statement.
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He added, “These are not the actions of a person seeking to maintain his privacy or simply be let alone.”
Natalie Spears, who represented news organizations seeking the unsealing of the records, said there was no point in keep them secret anymore.
“There is no way to secrete the fact of Jussie Smollett’s arrest. At this point it is widely and publicly known from here to Helsinki and back,” Spears said at the time, according to the Chicago Tribune. “No potential employer, let alone anyone with a pulse, does not know about Jussie Smollett’s arrest at this point.”
The judge’s unsealing order comes amid a separate battle for the appointment of a special prosecutor to probe Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s handling of Smollett’s case.
