Actor Jussie Smollett Pleads Not Guilty to Restored Charges

CHICAGO (AP) — Former “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett has pleaded not guilty to restored charges that accuse him of staging a racist, homophobic attack against himself and falsely reporting it to police.

The 37-year-old entered a Chicago courthouse Monday wearing sunglasses and sporting a beard. He faces six counts of felony disorderly conduct.

Smollett was initially charged shortly after he said he was attacked in downtown Chicago last year.

But the county prosecutor's office dropped the charges weeks later, angering police and city officials.

A special prosecutor tasked with looking into the decision recently announced that Smollett had been indicted for a second time.