New details submerge in the Jussie Smollett trial. One black person was selected for the jury on the Jussie Smollett trial which doesn’t reflect the racial makeup of the case. The jury has six men and six women.
Jussie Smollett is currently on trial following a 2019 incident. He claims that two men assaulted him in a racist and homophobic attack while he was returning home from a sandwich shop in Chicago. In the video, Smollett was beaten and called transphobic slurs. He says an “unknown chemical substance” was thrown on him. However, later details suggested that he staged the whole accident.
New disorderly conduct charges were filed a year later after the accident. Michael Theis, a Chicago police detective, claims that the former Empire actor staged the incident. Theis was a lead investigator on the case and claims more than two dozen officers worked the case, spending 3,000 staff hours on the investigation while watching 1,500 hours of video footage for a staged crime.
Smollett is also facing a lawsuit from the City of Chicago. The suit claims that he owes over one hundred thousand dollars to cover the overtime fees for the police on the case.
His trial began November 29 and he maintains his innocence.
According to AP News, Smollett’s defense attorney, Nenye Uche says that Jussie Smollett is a “real victim” of a “real crime.” She defends Smollett by saying the two brothers attacked Smollett because they didn’t like him and miscommunication between both parties.
Jurors recently viewed footage of Smollett going through a “dry run” with the two men that allegedly attacked him. He was caught on camera walking near the scene with Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo.
