Tamara Walker, a lawyer on Jussie Smollett's defense team, is calling for a mistrial, claiming that the presiding judge "lunged" at her in court.
The alleged "lunge" occurred amid the defense's cross-examination of Olabinjo Osundairo, who claims he was paid to help Smollett stage the hate crime.
Walker grilled him about "his alleged homophobia and past derogatory remarks toward suspected gay men," The New York Post reported.
"Osundairo, 30, had just acknowledged he used the word 'fruity a**' to refer to a man he suspected was gay and Walker asked if Smollett, who is openly gay, knew he'd said such things in the past," according to The Post.
Chicago Tribune criminal courts reporter Megan Crepeau outlined the timeline of events on Twitter: "Judge Linn tries to hustle things along, saying Walker is getting into something 'collateral.' She asks for a sidebar, the jury is sent out of the room, and she asks for a mistrial — in part because of the 'collateral' comment."
Walker is also saying that Linn lunged at her during a sidebar: "You did physically lunge at me."
— Megan Crepeau (@crepeau) December 2, 2021
Linn seems furious and is denying it outright.
"Walker is also saying that Linn lunged at her during a sidebar: 'You did physically lunge at me.' Linn seems furious and is denying it outright," Crepeau reported.
Fox News correspondent Matt Finn tweeeted out a similar account: "Right now court is paused. Smollett attorney asked to compose herself. She claims judge lunged at her. Judge says he stood up."
Right now court is paused. Smollett attorney asked to compose herself. She claims judge lunged at her. Judge says he stood up.
— Matt Finn (@MattFinnFNC) December 2, 2021
Crepeau added: "Chaos. Lots of cross-talk and people interrupting each other and high emotions. But essentially: Linn is denying the motion for a mistrial, is denying he lunged at anyone […] Linn is denying he made faces, denying he lunged at anyone, and definitely denying the motion for a mistrial. He was about to bring the jury back into the room but instead they're taking a bit of a recess."
Lots of cross-talk and people interrupting each other and high emotions. But essentially: Linn is denying the motion for a mistrial, is denying he lunged at anyone.
— Megan Crepeau (@crepeau) December 2, 2021
Linn is denying he made faces, denying he lunged at anyone, and definitely denying the motion for a mistrial. He was about to bring the jury back into the room but instead they're taking a bit of a recess.
— Megan Crepeau (@crepeau) December 2, 2021
Smollett, his legal team, and BLM activists all claim that the actor is the victim of a racist legal system, maintain his innocence, demand "justice" for the alleged hate crime hoaxer, and "stand in solidarity" with the former Empire star.
Smollett's defense argues that one of the "assailants" in the setup, 28-year-old Abimbola Osundairo, can't be trusted because he was a former lover. The pair allegedly entered a bathhouse together in Chicago's Boystown neighborhood, which is reportedly a predominantly gay community.
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