Nearly six years in the past, Smollett reported he was attacked by two males in downtown Chicago, alleging they hurled racist and homophobic slurs as they assaulted him. However, authorities later decided Smollett had fabricated the incident. In 2021, the previous Empire star was convicted on a number of counts of disorderly conduct for submitting a false police report.

This week, Smollett informed group leaders in Chicago that he possesses beforehand unseen video footage that he believes confirms his model of occasions. According to Block Club Chicago, he acknowledged, “They found the actual footage of the people that jumped me, and it just corroborates every single thing that I’ve said for the last almost seven years.”

He is predicted to elaborate on this proof in an upcoming Netflix documentary.

Titled The Truth About Jussie Smollett?, the documentary is ready to premiere on August 22. It will characteristic Smollett’s first televised interview because the scandal unfolded. The movie supposedly contains footage acquired by way of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request that Smollett claims arrived too late to be launched at his 2021 trial.

Netflix has not confirmed the validity or significance of the newly revealed footage. Statements from Smollett’s authorized crew describe the supplies as doubtlessly game-changing. Yet authorized observers stay cautious, arguing that the unique conviction rested on thorough authorized proceedings and substantial proof, and that the documentary could not override the decision.

Despite skepticism, the forthcoming Netflix launch has revived public curiosity in a case that after grew to become a flashpoint in cultural discussions about race, media, and credibility. Smollett’s upcoming look seems to be aimed toward reclaiming his narrative and difficult prevailing judgments. Critics counter that the try could replicate broader efforts by public figures to reshape their reputations by way of media.

As the discharge date approaches, audiences might be desperate to see whether or not the allegedly new footage casts doubt on earlier authorized findings—or just provides one other layer to a deeply divisive saga. Regardless, Netflix’s platform ensures The Truth About Jussie Smollett? will function a significant chapter within the discourse surrounding high-profile accusations, authorized accountability, and the facility of storytelling within the digital age.