Why Are ‘Empire,’ Fox Being Sued? Illinois Juvenile Detention Center Residents Make Lofty Claims In Court

Fox media along with the cast and crew of “Empire” could be in big trouble following questionable claims from residents of a temporary detention center in Cook County, Illinois. The popular series is said to have visited the establishment to film two episodes for Season 2 and it seems they may not have been the most hospitable guests.

A lawsuit filed by guardians of two former residents of the facility, which caters to troubled youth, claims residents were mistreated during filming. Deadline reports that the “Empire” cast and crew were on-location for six days, during which residents were told to stay in their pods. The suit states that “essential” areas of the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center were not accessible during that time, which proved detrimental to the young people housed at the facility. The documents, obtained by the website, suggest that restricting imprisoned children to their living quarters is comparable — if not more severe — than some adults experience in confinement.

“Numerous areas that are essential to the JTDC’s mission of educating and rehabilitating the children housed there — including the JTDC’s school, its facilities for family visits, its only outdoor recreation yard, its library, and its chapel — were placed off limits so that Fox’s agents and employees could use them to stage and film the show,” the lawsuit read. “The purpose of these lockdowns was to provide Fox with a realistic prison facility to use as the primary set of two highly profitable ‘Empire’ episodes. The children at JTDC, meanwhile, were placed under restrictions more severe than those governing many adult jails.”

The current lawsuit has not affected progress on the set of “Empire.” The show is slated to air Season 3 in September. On Tuesday, Taraji P. Henson gave fans a glimpse behind the scenes on Instagram. The actress, who plays Cookie Lyons on the series, shared a picture of her and co-stars Jussie Smollett, Bryshere Y. Gray and Trai Byers, warning fans to prepare for what’s to come on Season 3 of “Empire.”

Henson previously confirmed a fan theory regarding the death of a major character on “Empire.” During an interview with Extra on Monday she said that someone was going to get killed off, but did not provide any clues as to whom it may be. Henson, 45, revealed that even the “Empire” cast was shocked by the Season 3 script and jaw-dropping death.

“They send us the script and then everybody’s calling each other like…‘What? What? What?’ And then you have to wait ‘til September 21.”