Jussie Smellett wrote:
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/feb/20/jussie-smollett-suspect-attack-empire-actor-police-latest-news
There was a case that went to U.S. Supreme Court in regard to truthful or less than than truthful statements by law enforcement, circa 1980's. Law enforcement employees cannot lie to their superior officers in their chain of command. Law enforcement cannot lie on police reports. Law enforcement cannot lie under oath. It is not illegal for cops to lie/mislead suspects. It is not illegal for cops to give false statements "off the record" to members of the media. Law enforcement do not want to damage their credibility by lying on tv, on radio or while being quoted by name to written press. All so-called facts of this Smollett's case are from off the record statements by cops talking to the press. The truth may be far more complicated than the narrative cops have leaked to media.