Jussie Smollett's brother: 'Empire' star is experiencing 'post trauma' and 'night terrors'

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"Within less than three months, his life has been turned upside down as my family and I have witnessed him endure unrelenting attacks to his character and reputation," wrote JoJo Smolett, the head of a nonprofit that helps disabled people enter America’s work force. "Like so many others, this entire process quickly devolved from a focus on him as a victim of assault, to him being falsely accused and held responsible for a crime that was perpetrated against him. To define this experience as unjust would be an understatement."

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In his essay, JoJo went on to criticize both the media and the Chicago Police Department for their handling of the facts.

"What concerned me the most is, as the CPD continued their campaign against Jussie, I started to notice an online 'bandwagon' approaching ignoring whether there were any real facts to suggest his guilt," he wrote. "In an effort to fit in with the momentum on social media, many appeared to roast him, demean him, and laugh at a traumatic and painful ordeal.

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"Jussie is as strong as iron, but following an attack like this, there is a normal and natural amount of post trauma that mostly anyone should expect to suffer. I have literally seen him violently awakening from night terrors, following the assault. Some of my siblings, as well as Jussie’s partner and closest friends have seen similar things."

JoJo concluded the essay asking the question he began with, and also reminded readers that "we live in a country that promises liberty, justice and the pursuit of happiness. Jussie deserves those civil guarantees as much as everyone else."

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