Actor Jussie Smollett took to the stand on Monday and testified in his own defense that the alleged 2019 hate crime attack was "not a hoax" despite overwhelming evidence produced by authorities that allege otherwise.
Smollett stands accused of hiring two associates to attack him in an alleged orchestrated hate crime hoax in Chicago in 2019. He faces six charges of disorderly conduct for filing false police reports, which is illegal in the city of Chicago.
"There was no hoax," Smollett testified before the jury on Monday.
Smollett alleged that he was attacked by two men wearing "MAGA" hats in the middle of the night in Chicago while walking home from getting a Subway sandwich. He claims that the two men who have since been identified as the Osundario brothers assaulted him, used racial and homophobic slurs, tied a noose around his neck, and then doused him in bleach. Smollett alleges that the attackers told him he was in "MAGA country" during the assault.
The evidence produced by authorities and the prosecution directly contradict Smollett's sworn testimony, as do witness statements from the Osundario brothers who testified that they were hired by Smollett to carry out the fake attack.
The Osundario brothers took to the stand last week and testified before the jury that Smollett orchestrated the attack and paid them to beat him up. They allege that Smollett wanted media attention that would spark sympathy so he could make more money on the show Empire.
The two brothers from Nigeria are associates of Smollett and were extras on the set of Empire.
Red flags were raised by law enforcement during the investigation when surveillance footage caught Smollett and the Osundario brothers rehearsing the attack days prior. The Osundario's admitted to going on a "dry-run" with the actor to plan out and rehearse the attack, which included using a rope as a noose that was purchased by Smollett.
When asked why the actor was out so late in Chicago, Smollett testified that he was directed by the Osundario's to go out and buy eggs from the store for the actor's diet plans.
None of these allegations were repeated in the brothers' testimonies.
Jussie Smollett testifies Bola Osundairo called him the night of the attack to talk about Smollett's training and meal plan. Smollett says Bola told him he had to eat 4 eggs.. so Smollett talked about going to Walgreens to get eggs.
— Matt Finn (@MattFinnFNC) December 6, 2021
On Monday, Judge James Linn denied a motion for a mistrial on the part of the defense telling the attorneys, "I'm stunned that you would consider a mistrial."
Smollett could face up to three years in prison if found guilty on all charges. The Osundario brothers also took the stand.
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