Jussie Smollett Wiki
Jussie Smollett Biography
Who is Jussie Smollett ?
American actor Jussie Smollett lied to police when he claimed to have been the victim of a racist and homophobic assault, a Chicago jury found.
Jussie Smollett is an American actor, singer and convicted felon. He began his career as a child actor in 1991, acting in films such as The Mighty Ducks and Rob Reiner’s North. Wikipedia
At this week’s trial, the 39-year-old Smollett stood firm in denial of staging the deceptive attack on himself.
Prosecutors responded that he “lied for hours” on the stand as he repeated what he had told Chicago police.
He was convicted Thursday of five counts of disorderly conduct.
Each charge carries a penalty of up to three years in prison. Given Smollett’s lack of prior convictions, experts have said a lighter sentence or probation is likely. The sentencing date has not yet been set.
The jury of six men and six women made their decision a day after deliberations began.
The trial stemmed from an incident that occurred almost three years ago, in January 2019, when the former star of the Empire television show told police that she was the victim of an attack.
How old is Jussie Smollett ?
June 21, 1982 (age 39 years), Santa Rosa, California, United States
Investigation
Smollett, who is black and gay, told police he was attacked by two assailants who yelled insults, yelled a Trump slogan, threw a “chemical” at him and tied a rope around his neck as he walked in the wee hours of the night in Chicago.
Authorities opened an investigation into the attack, but in February of that year, police accused Smollett of filing a false police report, claiming that he had organized the assault.
Arrested and Charged
He faced a total of six charges, each of which concerned different cases in which he was accused of lying to the police. He was found guilty on five of the six charges, meaning the last one had not been proven in court.
At trial, jurors heard from brothers Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo, who said Smollett had orchestrated the attack himself and paid them $ 3,500 (£ 2,600) to carry it out.
Smollett said the check was for a meal and an exercise plan from Abimbola, a friend and an extra in Empire, a television drama about a hip hop dynasty. When asked by his defense attorney if he paid the man for the alleged scheme, Smollett replied, “Never.”
He also testified that he and Abimbola were involved in a sexual relationship prior to the alleged attack.
Special counsel Dan Webb repeatedly asked the actor about a “hoax” attack. Each time, Smollett denied that was the case.
“There was no deception on my part,” he said. “Any questions you are going to ask about it will be denied.”
In his closing arguments, Webb said Smollett caused the Chicago police to spend enormous resources investigating the alleged crime.
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“Besides going against the law, it is simply wrong to openly denigrate something as serious as an actual hate crime and then make sure it involves words and symbols that have such historical significance in our country,” Webb said.
What is Jussie Smollett’s net worth?
Despite his departure from the hit FOX series Empire, Smollett has amassed a rich net worth for himself.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Smollett has an estimated net worth of $ 500,000.
The star began his Hollywood career as a child actor by appearing in such films as The Mighty Ducks and Rob Reiner’s North.
However, Smollett is widely recognized for playing musician Jamal Lyon in the Empire.
Lyon’s role was hailed as groundbreaking for its positive portrayal of a black gay man on television.
What was the verdict of the Jussie Smollett trial?
Smollett pleaded not guilty in the criminal trial against him.
On the night of December 9, 2021, the jury reached a verdict on charges that Smollett staged a racist and anti-gay attack on himself by a jury.
The jury found Smollett, 39, guilty of five of the six counts.
Why was Jussie Smollett trending in July 2021?
On July 14, a judge in the renewed case against Smollett met with the actor.
In February 2020, a special Cook County grand jury issued a six-count indictment charging Smollett with lying to Chicago police.
Smollett has maintained his innocence in the face of the new accusation and has pleaded not guilty.
The charges were reinstated after a special counsel was assigned to investigate the entire case, after a judge discovered “unprecedented irregularities” in the way Cook County State Attorney Kim Foxx handled the case.
Mr. Webb added that “for Mr. Smollett to get up in front of [the jury] and lie down for hours
Outside of court after the verdict was read, Mr. Webb added that “for Mr. Smollett to get up in front of [the jury] and lie down for hours on end, it really compounded his misconduct.”
He called it “unexpected” that Smollett repeatedly lied during the trial, and said it will be something he will raise with the judge during sentencing.
Nenye Uche, a lawyer for Smollett, said the team “obviously disagrees with the jury’s verdict” and that she is “100% certain” that the case will be dismissed on appeal.
Authorities have said Smollett wanted to raise his profile because he was “dissatisfied with his salary” at Empire. For the fifth season of the show, he said he would be paid $ 100,000 per episode.
It was finally written amid the controversy surrounding the alleged attack.
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