The two brothers, who claimed to have carried out the hate crime against #JussieSmollett upon the actor’s request, are expressing their “tremendous regret” for their involvement in the alleged staged attack.
“They understand how it has impacted people across the nation, particularly minority communities and especially those who have been victims of hate crimes themselves,” Gloria Schmidt, the brothers’ lawyer, said in a statement.
In the incident, Smollett said two men attacked him on January 29, hurled racial and homophobic slurs, and “poured an unknown chemical substance” on him before they placed a rope around his neck.
After further investigation, officials identified Ola and Abel Osundairo as the attackers, and their cooperation led to the arrest of Smollett on the charge of filing a false report to the police.
Now, Chicago police are convinced Smollett staged the attack “because he was dissatisfied with his salary,” based on information provided by the Osundairo brothers. As a result, Smollett is facing felony charges and is expected to address them in court on March 14.
The brothers, on the other hand, were released without charges.
