In this courtroom sketch, actor Jussie Smollett takes the stand in his own defense Monday, Dec. 6, 2021, at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse on day five of his trial in Chicago. (AP Photo/Cheryl Cook) The Associated Press
CHICAGO (AP) — Former “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett denied Monday that he staged an anti-gay, racist attack on himself, testifying at his trial that “there was no hoax" and that he was the victim of a hate crime in his downtown Chicago neighborhood.
Smollett, who faces charges that he lied to Chicago police about the January 2019 attack, sought to refute damaging testimony from two brothers last week. They said Smollett, who is gay and Black, orchestrated the hoax to get publicity, giving them $100 for supplies and instructing them to place a noose around his neck and yell homophobic slurs. They also said Smollett gave them a $3,500 check to carry it out.
Smollett appeared calm throughout several hours of testimony, saying he wrote the $3,500 check to Abimbola Osundairo for nutrition and training advice. Asked by his defense attorney if he gave Osundairo payment for some kind of hoax, Smollett replied: “Never.”
“No,” Smollett said, “there was no hoax.”
He also said “absolutely not” when asked if he gave Osundairo and his brother $100 to pay for supplies for the fake attack.
Smollett told jurors he had just returned from a trip and was walking home after buying a sandwich around 2 a.m. on Jan. 29, 2019, when someone yelled a racist, homophobic remark....
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