Prosecutor defends dropping charges against Jussie Smollett

CHICAGO (AP) — Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx has defended her office’s dismissal of charges against Jussie Smollett, saying the “Empire” actor was treated no differently than thousands of other defendants whose charges were similarly dropped since she took office.

In an appearance Saturday before the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.’s Rainbow Push Coalition, Foxx says the office handled the charges similarly to the way it has disposed of nearly 6,000 other low level cases since she took office 2 ½ years ago.

Foxx has been harshly criticized since her office dismissed the charge against Smollett after she recused herself from the case and there have been calls for her to step down. But on Saturday Foxx vowed to finish her term, which ends next year, and signaled that she plans to run for re-election.