Evidence has emerged in the now-dismissed extortion case involving comedian Kevin Hart and actor JT Jackson, suggesting that key evidence, which Hart himself forwarded to his legal team and was subsequently submitted to the DA’s office, was fabricated.
In a transcript interview, Hart admitted to forwarding an email to his legal representatives, who then forwarded it to the DA’s office.
Forensic analysis by two independent experts indicates that the email at the center of the case, claimed to have been sent on April 27, 2018, was actually created on May 17, 2019, more than a year after the alleged extortion attempt.
The forensic analysis has determined that the email was created using Microsoft Word 2013, and the lack of original forwarding headers and significant compression raises serious doubts about the email’s authenticity.
In addition to the fabricated evidence, a civil lawsuit for breach of contract relating to his agreement with Jackson was filed this morning. As part of a settlement in July 2021, Hart agreed to make a public statement exonerating Jackson from any wrongdoing. The agreed-upon verbiage in the contract was meant to mitigate the significant reputational damage Jackson had suffered. However, Hart’s actual statement deviated significantly from the contractual terms, failing to clear Jackson’s name, and adding to the harm to his reputation.
On September 27, 2019, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office dismissed the remaining extortion charge against Jackson due to lack of probable cause, as evidenced in court documents. The dismissal followed a thorough investigation that undermined the initial allegations, further highlighting the weaknesses in the case against Jackson and raising questions about the legitimacy of the evidence presented by Hart himself and his team.
Jackson’s arrest on April 30, 2018, and subsequent prosecution were significantly based on this email evidence. On May 3, 2019, the Los Angeles County DA’s office dismissed one of the two extortion charges against Jackson, related to the alleged extortion attempt on Mr. Hart on April 27, 2018, due to no evidence connecting Jackson and lack of probable cause. These findings prompt a reevaluation of the case and raise serious concerns about the integrity of the submitted evidence.
Jackson, supported by his legal team at Krane & Smith, APC, seeks a thorough investigation and clarity. Daniel L. Reback and Jeremy D. Smith of Krane & Smith, APC commented, “The forensic evidence raises serious questions about the validity of the email evidence used against our client. Additionally, the breach of contract by Mr. Hart has caused significant harm to Mr. Jackson’s reputation. We are committed to ensuring a fair and just outcome for Mr. Jackson.”
Read the full complaint here.
Source: Press Release