A Illinois judge has ordered Google to turn over a 12 months’ worth of Jussie Smollett’s personal electronic data, including his search history, photographs, files and geolocation data to a special prosecutor.
The search warrant from Chicago police demanded all files and emails associated with Google accounts linked to Smollett and his manager, Frank Gatson, from November 2018 to November 2019.
Smollett, who is gay and black, has said he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack near his Chicago apartment in January 2019. He called Gatson just after the incident and the manager called Chicago police.
Police have said Smollett orchestrated the incident and paid two men who were acquaintances from the “Empire” set – brothers Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo – to stage the incident for publicity.
The warrants were signed on December 6, but the judge ordered Google not to disclose them. Google did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.
Smollett’s publicist Pam Sharp declined to comment Wednesday on the search warrant. The former “Empire” actor has repeatedly denied making up or orchestrating the attack.
The special prosecutor, former US Attorney Dan K. Webb, is investigating how State Attorney Kim Foxx’s handled the case and her office’s decision to end the case against the wishes of the police department.
Webb will have authority to file new charges, if deemed appropriate, against Smollett following his investigation.
Smollett had been charged with 16 counts of felony disorderly conduct, but Foxx suddenly dropped all charges in March. They said he had forfeited $10,000 in bail money and done community service.
The actor faces a civil suit from the city that demands reimbursement for the cost of investigating his reported attack.
He filed a countersuit in November. Smollett’s attorneys claim the criminal charges against the actor were brought forth in “bad faith” and “based on the Osundairo Brothers’ false, self-serving, and unreliable statements,” court documents say.
CNN’s Ryan Young, Bill Kirkos and Brad Parks contributed to this report.