CHICAGO (AP) — Two brothers who admitted helping actor Jussie Smollett stage a racist and homophobic attack in Chicago last year are again willing to help in the case after initially saying they were done cooperating with prosecutors, their attorney said Thursday.

“Abel and Ola will recommence their cooperation in the Smollett case now that the handgun has been produced by the Special Prosecutor’s Office,” Schmidt Rodriguez wrote, referring to Special Prosecutor Dan Webb, who is now handling the case.

The threat to not cooperate was the latest development in a strange story that has taken a host of unexpected turns since January 2019, when Smollett, a Black and openly gay actor who worked on the TV show “Empire,” reported to police that two masked men had approached him in downtown Chicago, made racist and homophobic insults, beat him and looped a noose around his neck before fleeing.

There was national attention on the case, both when the incident occurred and later when police alleged Smollett staged the attack with the help of the brothers to drum up publicity for his career.

Smollett, who allegedly paid the brothers $3,500 to help him stage the attack, was charged with lying to police before the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office announced it was dropping the charges.

BlackFacts Details

John B. McLendon

Martin Luther King Jr. Facts

Sports Facts

Cuisine Facts

Southern United States Facts