Most people stop short of risking prison by filing a false police report to prove a point, so there is no reason to "backtrack" on Smollett, nor should anyone feel bad about believing him if it turns out to be a false report.
People believe all sorts of stupid things. That's not necessarily the problem. The problem is reporting and repeating it as if it's absolute truth without a shred of evidence to back it up.
There's a morning talk show that I listen to on my way to work. It's hosted by a liberal and conservative team who are pretty hard-line in their views. The liberal didn't believe Smollett for a second. It's sad that people like Spartacus keep falling for it hook, line, and sinker and use it as a campaign issue, only saying that they'll reserve judgment and wait for further evidence after it's clear to everyone else that they've been played.