Simply opinions at this time, but I have wondered ever since the news on this broke if this really happened as Mr. Smollett says it did.  Why did he still have the noose around his neck later when the cops arrived?  Why are these men clearly black when he says his attackers were white and knew the men in the picture were his attackers because "he was there".  Why didn't he give his phone up when the cops wanted it to check his story?  Why, when he did give records or his phone, did I read some i