Jussie Smollett guilty verdict latest in polarizing case

CHICAGO (AP) — Jussie Smollett’s conviction Thursday for mendacity to police a couple of racist, homophobic assault got here almost three years after his report of a horrifying hate crime rapidly turned a part of a polarized political panorama, with folks — together with the president of the US — weighing in from throughout.

A prosecutor mentioned the decision was “a convincing message by the jury that Mr. Smollett did precisely what we mentioned he did” — recruit two brothers to pretend an assault so it might be recorded by a surveillance digital camera and posted on social media for publicity. The brothers testified that the previous “Empire” actor paid them $3,500 for the hoax and gave them traces to yell, together with about “MAGA nation,” an obvious reference to then-President Donald Trump’s “Make America Nice Once more” slogan.

The report made headlines all over the world and prompted an enormous manhunt in Chicago, with roughly two dozen police becoming a member of the investigation. It additionally drew criticism from Trump, who known as the police division’s dealing with of the case “an absolute embarrassment to our nation.”

“Not solely did Mr. Smollett mislead the police and wreak havoc right here within the metropolis for weeks on finish for no cause in any respect, however then he compounded the issue by mendacity below oath to a jury,” particular prosecutor Dan Webb mentioned after Thursday’s verdict.

Smollett, who’s Black and homosexual, maintained all through the almost three-year authorized battle that he was attacked in downtown Chicago in January 2019 by individuals who yelled racist and anti-gay slurs and put a noose round his neck.

His legal professional declared Smollett’s innocence once more Thursday after the jury discovered him responsible on 5 of six counts of disorderly conduct for mendacity to police. Nenye Uche mentioned Smollett would enchantment the conviction, and is “100% assured” his identify will likely be cleared by an appellate court docket.

“Sadly we have been dealing with an uphill battle the place Jussie was already tried and convicted within the media after which we needed to one way or the other get the jury to neglect or unsee all of the information tales that that they had been listening to that have been unfavorable for the final three years,” Uche informed reporters after the decision.

The jury convicted the 39-year-old on 5 counts of disorderly conduct — for every separate time he was charged with mendacity to police within the days after the alleged assault. He was acquitted on a sixth rely, of mendacity to a detective in mid-February, weeks after Smollett mentioned he was attacked.

Smollett stood and confronted the jury, exhibiting no seen response as the decision was learn. He and his household later left the courthouse with out remark.

Choose James Linn set a post-trial listening to for Jan. 27, and mentioned he would schedule Smollett’s sentencing at a later date. Disorderly conduct is a category four felony that carries a jail sentence of as much as three years, however consultants have mentioned if convicted, Smollett would seemingly be positioned on probation and ordered to carry out neighborhood service.

The harm to his private {and professional} life could also be extra extreme. Smollett misplaced his function on the TV program “Empire,” which was filmed in Chicago, after prosecutors mentioned the alleged assault was a hoax, and he informed jurors earlier this week, “I’ve misplaced my livelihood.”

The jury deliberated for simply over 9 hours Wednesday and Thursday after a roughly one-week trial.

Smollett testified that he was the sufferer of an actual hate crime, telling jurors “there was no hoax.” He known as the brothers who testified towards him “liars” and mentioned the $3,500 verify he wrote them was for meal and exercise plans.

His attorneys argued that the brothers attacked the actor as a result of they’re homophobic and didn’t like “who he was.” In addition they alleged the brothers made up the story in regards to the assault being staged to get cash from Smollett, and that they mentioned they wouldn’t testify towards him if Smollett paid them every $1 million.

Requested Thursday if Smollett might be charged with perjury for mendacity on the witness stand, Webb mentioned perjury costs “typically” don’t occur after a defendant is convicted, however that it was unclear what would occur in Smollett’s case.

He additionally mentioned the Chicago Police Division was vindicated by the jury’s verdict.

“Quite a lot of occasions folks say, ‘Nicely, cops sweep issues below the rug.’ This police division responded by completely testifying on this trial that they took it severely,” Webb mentioned. “They believed he was a sufferer of a criminal offense and so they labored so laborious for the following three weeks.”

However Uche mentioned Chicago police ought to have investigated the case “far more,” and that there have been some witnesses who have been by no means interviewed.

He known as the jury’s break up verdict “inconsistent,” saying it made no sense for Smollett to be convicted of 5 counts however not the sixth cost, since “every thing stems from one incident.”

An legal professional for Abimbola and Olabingo Osundairo, the brothers who testified towards Smollett, mentioned her purchasers “couldn’t be extra thrilled and happy with the outcomes.”

Chicago police “obtained this one proper,” Gloria Rodriguez mentioned.

Related Press reporter Sophia Tareen contributed to this report.