As the Jussie Smollett’s trial began on Monday, the ex-“Empire” actor’s attorney said his client “is a real victim” of a “real crime.” The attorney rejected prosecutors’ allegation that Smollett staged a homophobic and racist attack in Chicago after the television studio where he worked didn’t take hate mail he had received seriously.
Smollett arrived at the courthouse in Chicago Monday with his mother and other members of his family.
The 39-year-old actor and singer is accused of lying to Chicago police about being the victim of a racist and homophobic assault and has been charged with felony disorderly conduct. Smollett is at risk of being sentenced to three years in prison if convicted. However, experts have said that Smollett would be placed on probation and perhaps ordered to perform community service if convicted, according to the Associated Press.
Defense attorney Nenye Uche made his opening statement by insisting that two brothers attacked Smollett in January 2019 because they hated him. And that a $3,500 check the actor paid the two brothers, Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo, was for training so he could prepare for an upcoming music video — not as payment for staging a hate crime, as prosecutors allege.
Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo told police that they were paid $3,500 by Smollett to pose as his attackers. On Tuesday, special prosecutor Dan Webb told jurors that the actor recruited the two brothers to help him carry out the fake attack. Smollett then reported the simulated incident to Chicago police, saying he was attacked by supporters of then-President Donald Trump — igniting political divisions around the country.
The two brothers are expected to testify at trial and repeat what they told police in the past, that Smollett, who is Black and gay, paid them to carry out the fake attack in order to raise his public profile.
