The continuing saga of Jussie Smollet moved into a different phase today with Smollett pleading NOT GUILTY to all 16 counts of felony disorderly conduct.

Deadline…

Nearly a month and a half after Jussie Smollett claimed he was brutally assaulted in the streets of Chicago, the Empire actor appeared in court today to enter a plea to multiple charges of having given a false account to the police.

With lawyers and family in the Cook County courthouse attorney, Tina Glandian expectedly plead “not guilty” for the subdued actor to the 16 felony counts of disorderly conduct. First charged and arrested on February 21 over the seemingly violent January 29 incident that Chicago PD initially considered a “potential hate crime,” Smollett was indicted on the more than a dozen new charges on March 8.

Smollett will next be due in court on April 17.