A judge in Illinois’ Cook County ruled Friday that a special prosecutor should investigate the Jussie Smollett case, including how Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx and her office handled the decision to drop charges against the “Empire” actor, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

“In a stinging critique of Foxx’s office, Judge Michael Toomin wrote in his 21-page order that ‘the unprecedented irregularities identified in this case warrants the appointment of independent counsel to restore the public’s confidence in the criminal justice system,'” the paper reports. “Toomin’s order gives the special prosecutor a wide-ranging mandate, including further prosecution of Smollett, if warranted, as well as any other crimes that were ‘committed in the course of the Smollett matter.’”

The report adds: “Toomin ruled that Foxx should have requested a special prosecutor when she decided to recuse herself from Smollett’s case in February, shortly before the actor was charged with making a false report to police.

“Toomin said Foxx had no power to recuse herself and then assign decision making in the case to her top deputy, Joseph Magats.”