It is still technically possible that “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett really was the victim of a hate crime. We cannot at this point conclusively prove the negative, and maybe we never will. But we can use our faculties of reason and common sense and, based on the available evidence, arrive at the most plausible conclusion: it’s a hoax, and a pretty absurd one at that.
Before we look at the facts of the case, let’s review the claim. Smollett says he was walking back from Subway at 2 AM on a frigid Chicago night when he was suddenly attacked by two racist assailants. He says they assaulted him, poured a mysterious chemical on him, tied a rope around his neck, and shouted “this is MAGA country,” along with various anti-black and anti-gay slurs. Smollett claims that he fought off his attackers and made it home, Subway sandwich still in hand and rope still around his neck. Eventually he called the police and went to the hospital. The selfie he took in the hospital reveals a slight scratch on his face and not much else in the way of bodily injury.
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