actor
He orchestrated a racist attack: Jussie Smollett was found guilty by a jury
Jussie Smollett on her way to court in Chicago on Wednesday
© TNS / ABACA / Picture Alliance
The jury ruled Jussie Smollett: he has been found guilty on most counts.
A court has found Jussie Smollett guilty, as US media unanimously report. The jury found it proven that the actor lied to the police and faked a crime.
Jussie Smollett found guilty
The star from the television series “Empire” claimed in 2019 that he was physically attacked, beaten, and homophobic and racially insulted on the street. The alleged attackers are said to have identified themselves as supporters of US President Donald Trump and put a noose around his neck.
Then the case took a surprising turn. According to investigations, the actor is said to have paid the men, two Nigerian-American brothers, for the robbery. With the action, he wanted to increase his awareness, so the prosecution. Smollett landed on trial for false statements and disturbance of the public peace. The prosecutor surprisingly dropped the case in May 2019. All Smollett had to do was do community hours and pay $ 10,000.
Prosecutor opened the case again
A special prosecutor opened the case again in 2020, and the actor had to go to court again. Due to corona-related delays, the process did not start until November 2021. Smollett continued to deny the allegations. The payment to the brothers was for nutrition and training advice.
The jury found the actor guilty of lying to the police in five out of six cases. A prison sentence of up to three years is available for each charge. Observers expect, however, that the actor with no criminal record will get away with a milder sentence. A date for the announcement of the sentence has not yet been set.