FormerEmpireactorJussie Smolletthas been found guilty of staging his own hate crime and making a false police report, according to multiple outlets.
The jury deliberated for a total of more than nine hours before announcing the verdict Thursday.
Smollett, an openly gay Black actor, was charged with six counts of disorderly conduct for making false reports to investigators in January 2019 after telling police he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack. Each count represents one instance of reporting a false claim.
He was found guilty on five of the six counts.
Jussie Smollett.KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty
Smollett allegedly told police that he was walking to his Chicago home in the early morning hours of Jan. 29 when two masked men, one of them sporting a red hat, spouted racial slurs and attacked him. He claimed they also doused him with bleach and put a noose around his neck,CBS2reported.
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Prosecutors alleged that Smollett staged the attack to get media attention and paid $3,500 to two brothers, Abimbola “Bola” and Olabinjo “Ola” Osundairo, to help him pull it off.
Smollett’s defense attorneys suggested that the brothers may have attacked Smollett because they were homophobic, theChicago Tribunereported.
Abimbola “Abel” Osundairo and Olabinjo “Ola” Osundairo.Instagram; Leon Bennett/Getty Images
Abimbola testified this week that Smollett contacted him and “explained that he wanted me to fake beat him up,” CBS2 reported.
He said he agreed “because I felt indebted to Jussie,” CBS2 reported. “He also got me a stand in role onEmpire, and I believed he could further my acting career.”
Abimbola told the jury that Smollett allegedly asked him to say: “Empire, f*t, ner, MAGA,“CNNreported. “He wants me to attack him, but he wanted me to pull the punch so I don’t hurt him, give him a bruise.”
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Abimbola said Smollett “wanted to use the fake attack or camera footage for media,” CNN reports.
Smollett was originally indicted in March 2019 with 16 counts of disorderly conduct but the charges were dropped.
“After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smollett’s volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago, we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case,” the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office said in a statement.
source: people.com
