A federal decide dominated Friday that two witnesses within the Jussie Smollett case had grounds to sue the actor’s authorized staff for defamation, a day after Smollett’s legal professionals filed a counter-suit.
Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo, brothers who had been paid by Smollett to assist him stage a hate crime, had been probably defamed when Smollett legal professional Tina Glandian went on the Today present and advised the pair had been in “whiteface,” U.S. District Judge Mary Rowland stated.
Glandian appeared on the present in March 2019.
Asked why Smollett had advised police that one in every of his attackers was white, Glandian stated that the very dark-skinned brothers may need “put makeup on” to disguise their colour. The legal professional additionally criticized Chicago police for allegedly failing to research a web based video displaying one of many brothers “in whiteface doing a joke monologue with white makeup on.”
“…taken in context, Glandian was asserting Plaintiffs’ involvement in a racially motivated attack,” Rowland stated in a written ruling.
“Explaining that the attackers were white, read in context, adds the implication that the attack was a hate crime,” she added. “Based on the ‘whiteface’ statement, Plaintiffs have plausibly alleged defamation.”
READ RELATED: PM did know of ‘sleaze’ claims about shamed MP Chris Pincher before giving him top role, N
While other claims of defamation by the brothers have been, Friday’s ruling permits a narrower defamation case to maneuver ahead.
The ruling comes someday after Glandian’s legislation agency, Geragos & Geragos, filed a go well with towards the brothers in Cook County, Illinois, alleging the two tried to “inject themselves into the limelight” via “manipulation” of the federal courtroom system with an deliberately frivolous go well with.
That go well with alleges that the Osundairo brother’s defamation go well with “fabricated statements out of thin air and falsely attributed them to [Smollett attorney Mark] Geragos”
That go well with additionally names attorneys for the Osundairo brothers as defendants, claiming that they “improperly opined” on Smollett’s guilt on nationwide TV.
Smollett was launched from jail Wednesday night time pending enchantment after serving six days of jail time following his conviction on 5 counts of felony disorderly conduct for mendacity to police.
With Post wires
