Prosecutor Who Dropped Charges Against Jussie Smollett Believes He's Guilty

An Illinois prosecutor said he believes Jussie Smollett is guilty of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself despite his decision to drop the charges against the Empire actor on Tuesday.

I do not believe he is innocent, First Assistant Cook County States Attorney Joseph Magats told CBS News on Tuesday afternoon after Smolletts legal team announced Magats office had dismissed the charges.

Asked if he believes Smollett is guilty, Magats said yes. He confirmed that dropping the charges, which included 16 felony counts of staging the January attack and lying to officials, neither vindicates nor exonerates Smollett.

Our priority is violent crimes and the drivers of violence. Jussie Smollett is neither one of those, Magats told CBS News when asked why his office would abandon the case if he felt the actor was guilty.

A sudden decision to drop criminal charges against actor Jussie Smollett in Chicago is bringing angry reactions and raising major legal questions. The city's mayor calls it a \"whitewash of justice.\"@adrianasdiaz reports: pic.twitter.com/VgqwZb7us9

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A sudden decision to drop criminal charges against actor Jussie Smollett in Chicago is bringing angry reactions and raising major legal questions. The city's mayor calls it a "whitewash of justice."@adrianasdiaz reports: pic.twitter.com/VgqwZb7us9
CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) March 27, 2019

The Cook County State Attorneys Office suddenly dropped all the charges against Smollett on Tuesday, setting social media ablaze and prompting angry responses from Chicago officials.

Though Magats and the Chicago Police Department say Smollett is guilty, the actor has repeatedly maintained that he was the victim of a brutal hate crime and denies his involvement.

All criminal charges against Jussie Smollett were dropped and his record has been wiped clean of the filing of this tragic complaint against him, Smolletts lawyers said in a statement Tuesday, continuing to maintain that their client was a victim.

Smollett performed two days of community service this week and was forced to forfeit a $10,000 bond a fraction of the more than $150,000 it reportedly cost the city to pursue this case.

Asked Tuesday if he feels this penalty was appropriate, Magats told CBS News that he feels it is, adding that community service and a financial penalty is common for nonviolent cases.

In January, Smollett, who is gay and black, claimed that two men viciously attacked him in Chicago, alleging they shouted racist and homophobic slurs, poured bleach on him and wrapped a noose around his neck. But investigators later said he hired the two men to stage the attack in order to obtain a pay raise .

Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson last month said theres a lot more evidence to prove Smollett staged the attack and lied about it than whats been released to the public. He stood by his departments assessment of the case during a press conference Tuesday.

Do I think justice was served? No, Johnson said. What do I think justice is? I think this city is still owed an apology.

He added: At the end of the day, it is Mr. Smollett who committed this hoax, period. If he wanted to clear his name, the way to do that is in a court of law so everyone can see the evidence.

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WATCH: Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson speaks after Jussie Smollett's charges were dropped:

\"Do I think justice was served? No ... I think this city is still owed an apology.\" https://t.co/Id9kl0AfIa pic.twitter.com/mTKIV4BEjd

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I think this city is still owed an apology.\" https://t.co/Id9kl0AfIa pic.twitter.com/mTKIV4BEjd NBC News (@NBCNews) March 26, 2019\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_hide_thread":{"label":"Hide previous Tweet in conversation thread","value":true}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":675,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_thumb/1110599179817111552/pu/img/YEO2a941aRO4LoPM.jpg","thumbnail_width":1200,"title":"NBC News on 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WATCH: Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson speaks after Jussie Smollett's charges were dropped:

"Do I think justice was served? No ... I think this city is still owed an apology." https://t.co/Id9kl0AfIa pic.twitter.com/mTKIV4BEjd
NBC News (@NBCNews) March 26, 2019

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.