Jussie Smollett's legal team claims there is police evidence that he really was a victim of attack — but they're not sharing what it is

Actor Jussie Smollett's legal team says they have evidence that their client was attacked in a January hate crime.

The team, however, doesn't say what that evidence is.

The city of Chicago is seeking $130,000 in a civil lawsuit from Smollett to cover costs of investigating what the city refers to as a staged attack. He insists that because the attack was legitimate, he doesn't owe the city anything.

Smollett reported that he was the victim of a hate crime in January. When police arrived at his apartment to question him, the actor had a rope around his neck and said that he had been physically attacked on a city street.

What are the new details?

The actor's legal team requested the court to toss out the city's lawsuit, but the city refused, pointing to what they say is evidence that Smollett lied about the attack. The city points to "GPS, text message, bank records, and video evidence" to support the idea that the actor staged the attack on himself, according to KCBS-TV.

On Wednesday, Smollett's legal team insisted that "every iota" of the alleged attack is supported by police evidence.

The city maintains that Smollett paid two brothers to carry out the staged attack. The brothers' attorneys previously admitted that their clients participated in the hoax and did so only because Smollett paid them.

Authorities arrested Smollett in February, and charged him with felony disorderly conduct in connection with the alleged attack. Police previously insisted that Smollett set up the staged attack because he was dissatisfied with his salary on Fox show, "Empire."

In March, a grand jury indicted Smollett on 16 counts of disorderly conduct in connection with the allegations.

Why were the charges dropped?

Weeks later, Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx's office abruptly dropped the charges against Smollett.

In a statement, Foxx said, "After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smollett's volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago, we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case."

The actor's community service duties reportedly consisted of volunteering with Jesse Jackson Sr.'s Rainbow/PUSH Coalition for "several hours" over a period of two days.

Foxx later claimed to have recused herself from the investigation after much outcry and criticism about her handling of the case. But it turned out that she never did recuse herself.

Former U.S. Attorney Dan Webb has been appointed as a special prosecutor to more closely examine the case and the conduct of Foxx's office.