Kim Foxx receiving death threats after charges dropped against Jussie Smollett

CHICAGO (FOX 32) - Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx has received threats to her personal safety and security after her office's decision to drop the criminal charges against Jussie Smollett, according to the Cook County State's Attorney's Office.

A number of the threats have featured racially-charged language, the office added.

The Chicago prosecutor defended the decision to drop the charges back on April 6, saying the "Empire" actor was treated no differently than thousands of other defendants whose charges were similarly dropped since she took office.

The actor was accused of staging what he claimed to be a racist and homophobic attack in January.

Foxx, who recused herself from the case after she communicating with a Smollett relative during the probe, reiterated that she welcomed an independent investigation into the way she and her office handled the case. She also said that her office did the same thing for the nearly 6,000 low-level defendants who had their charges dropped with "deferred prosecution" during her tenure.

Foxx has also responded to the calls by various critics to resign, saying that she will complete her term that ends next year and has plans to run for re-election.

Foxx later said she won't comment further on the Smollett case until a county inspector general finishes his review of the decision.