JUSSIE SMOLLETT FOUND GUILTY OF LYING TO POLICE IN HATE CRIME

Jussie Smollett was found guilty of falsely reporting that he was the victim of a disturbing hate-fueled beating, a Chicago jury reached a guilty on Thursday. The offenses are class 4 felonies and could be punishable by up to 3 years behind bars but jail time is highly unlikely for Jussie as he has a clean record.

The panel deliberated since Wednesday Afternoon, weighed 6 counts of felony disorderly conduct against Smollett for lying to the police that he was brutally assaulted on January 2019 in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood.

Dan Webb, the special prosecutor selected to lead the case, he said the sixth charge was an aggravated battery charge. After the verdict that he was very proud of the jury, characterizing Smollet’s defense as a “completely ridiculous story.” He also defended the Chicago Police Department’s response to Smollett’s initial report of a hate crime.

“For the next three weeks, these 26 Chicago officers spent 3,000 hours of time costing the city well over $100,000 for a fake crime that never occurred,” Webb said. “And by the way, a fake crime that denigrates what a real-hate crime is and to use these meanings and symbols that are so important in our society. It’s clear why the police would take it seriously.”

Smollett’s defense attorney said they will appeal, calling his client “an innocent man.”

“We feel 100 percent confident that this case will be won on appeal,” lawyer Nenye Uche said. Smollett is disappointed and is confident his name will be cleared,” Uche said.

Smollett said two men punched him, kicked him, used racist and homophobic slurs, threw chemicals in his face, wrapped rope around his neck and even yelled out a slogan in support of then-President Donald Trump.

The initial report was in favour of Jussie Smollett who is Black and gay, even Trump expressed sympathy and spoke against the attack, saying: “That I can tell you is horrible. It doesn’t get worse.” But the investigation took a drastic turn when two weeks later when officers detained 2 Nigerians in connection with the reported beating.