Yeah, I … don’t think that’s Jussie Smollett’s biggest problem right now, even if it might be Don Lemon’s. Early this morning, Chicago police announced that the Empire actor turned himself in to detectives working on the case after getting indicted by a grand jury. Police are planning a presser at 9 CT to discuss their actions in unraveling the alleged hoax:

Press Briefing: Jussie Smollet is under arrest and in custody of detectives. At 9am at #ChicagoPolice Headquarters, Supt Eddie Johnson, Commander of Area Central Detectives Edward Wodnicki will brief reporters on the investigation prior to the defendants appearance in court. pic.twitter.com/9PSv8Ojec2 — Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) February 21, 2019

Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi tells The Associated Press that Smollett turned himself in early Thursday at central booking. Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson plans to hold a morning news conference and Smollett is expected to appear in court later in the day. The 36-year-old actor was charged Wednesday. The charge could bring up to three years in prison. It could also force the actor, who’s black and gay, to pay for the cost of the investigation into his report of a Jan. 29 beating.

That’s on the state and local charges. Don’t forget that the FBI has reportedly begun looking at the threatening letter that got sent to Empire‘s production studios. If that turns out to be a hoax too, Smollett will face federal charges that could add another five years in prison. If the charges get proven at either or both levels, this will turn out to be a very expensive production for Smollett, who should have stuck to acting.

After having pursued the original hate-crime narrative on behalf of Smollett, CNN’s Don Lemon seems concerned about, er … the loss of the narrative. “Jussie has lost the battle in the court of public opinion,” Lemon declares, and then says it may be “not his fault. Maybe people were — I don’t know what they were saying to him, maybe because of his representatives — who knows?” Via Twitchy:

.@donlemon doesn't think it's @JussieSmollett's fault he's already lost in the "court of public opinion." Thinks maybe he got bad advice. He also says @RobinRoberts did a "terrific" job interviewing Smollett. I wish, I wish to God, I was making this up. pic.twitter.com/wgPe6sXQyL — David Rutz (@DavidRutz) February 21, 2019

Huh? Smollett’s problem appears to be that he set up a hoax, and got suckers like Lemon to bite all the way to the bone on it. That’s not his “representatives'” fault, whatever Lemon means by that. Smollett has bigger losses in front of him right now than any in the court of public opinion. You don’t hire Mark Geragos in order to wage a PR campaign.

It’s curious too that Lemon’s biggest concern isn’t getting hoodwinked or exposed as a journalistic dilettante. It’s all the pouncing that conservatives will do over the media’s latest utter failure and false narrative about conservatives:

CNN’s Don Lemon panics over Jussie Smollett's felony charge: “Sean Hannity is going to eat Jussie Smollett’s lunch every single second. Tucker Carlson is going to eat Jussie Smollett’s lunch every single second. The President of the United States is going to eat his lunch” pic.twitter.com/aYCQE9Y50J — Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) February 21, 2019

Sorry. Mr. Lemon. The media earned every bit of ridicule and criticism it received by going all-in on Smollett’s weird claim from the get-go. They earned every bit of criticism for doing the same thing with the Covington Catholic High School kids for the same purpose — to pounce, if you will, all over conservatives, pro-lifers, and anyone who might have a little sympathy for Donald Trump.

At least in some corners of the industry, they haven’t learned a damn thing from either failure. Expect more to come.