IL - Actor Jussie Smollett allegedly attacked in hate crime being black & gay Jan 2019 #2*ARRESTS*

[MassGuy]

I wonder if JS didn't think the police would push it as hard as they did. Maybe he didn't realize there were so many security cameras and thought it would just be his word that something happened?

As far as the security cameras go, I think it’s likely that he knew exactly where they were located.

Cameras would be able to catch him and the two suspects where and when they wanted the cameras to see them.

But the attack itself happened in the one dark area in one of the most heavily surveilled parts of Chicago.

That couldn’t have been a coincidence.

So I think that JS was banking on these guys either not being identified, or not talking if they were.

 

[AmandaSkis]

If either of the brothers has a criminal record, as I’ve heard alluded to, expect to see that info be pushed forward to discredit them and paint them as liars.

I wonder if the brothers’ heads are spinning. If they thought JS was a friend, I bet that feeling is changing quickly as he throws them under the bus.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

And what’s the deal with his manager (or whoever it was) listening in on the attack.

 

[Gardenista]

If either of the brothers has a criminal record, as I’ve heard alluded to, expect to see that info be pushed forward to discredit them and paint them as liars.

I wonder if the brothers’ heads are spinning. If they thought JS was a friend, I bet that feeling is changing quickly as he throws them under the bus.

That's already happened--it's in the last thread. One of them had an attempted murder charge and he got a reduced sentence.

 

[mickey2942]

Thank you for that observation. I have never read his tweets myself.
Oh, but the cyber world never really goes away!
ETA - all the tweets will show up at some point.

I took a quick peek today. I seriously think that Mr. Smollett has some issues.

 

[Puzzles8]

That's already happened--it's in the last thread. One of them had an attempted murder charge and he got a reduced sentence.

Just curious, was the murder charge in the US or Nigeria?

 

[Rallibella]

And what’s the deal with his manager (or whoever it was) listening in on the attack.

If the Manager was used as "proof" and truly had no idea it was a setup (i.e. they just were on the phone and witnessed the exchange), I would expect that they would separate ways with JS in the very near future. Otherwise, I am thinking they could be named as a conspirator.

 

[mickey2942]

Just curious, was the murder charge in the US or Nigeria?

More than likely here in the United States, he would not have been eligible for a VISA to come to the U.S. from Africa if he was a violent felon.

I really like that Smollett is now "shocked" that his attackers were known to him. Nice. He is throwing them under the bus to continue his narrative. How far will he go?

 

[MassGuy]

If the Manager was used as "proof" and truly had no idea it was a setup (i.e. they just were on the phone and witnessed the exchange), I would expect that they would separate ways with JS in the very near future. Otherwise, I am thinking they could be named as a conspirator.

He needs to be looked at, that’s for sure.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they parted ways regardless.

You don’t need a manager if you don’t have a career anymore.

 

[MassGuy]

Just curious, was the murder charge in the US or Nigeria?

The attempted murder charge stemmed from an incident in Chicago in 2011.

Man arrested in Smollett attack convicted in 2011 stabbing, filed for bankruptcy

 

[Puzzles8]

As far as the security cameras go, I think it’s likely that he knew exactly where they were located.

Cameras would be able to catch him and the two suspects where and when they wanted the cameras to see them.

But the attack itself happened in the one dark area in one of the most heavily surveilled parts of Chicago.

That couldn’t have been a coincidence.

So I think that JS was banking on these guys either not being identified, or not talking if they were.

I'll bet they were caught on camera on their way to see him. That area is upscale and there are security cameras everywhere. IMO not a chance the "attack" would not be caught on camera. I also wonder if JS was caught on camera either on the street or at Subway, to see if that part of his story checked out.
He id'ed the "O bros" as his attackers because he thought there would not be a chance in the world they could be identified by CPD in that video. Big props to the CPD and FBI, outstanding police work!
ETA - and Robin Roberts!

 

[katydid23]

I think the strongest evidence that could show the O bros were telling the truth, would be if they could show where and how that 3500 came into their hands.

I would imagine, that if someone was paying them to carry out a hoax, they would pay in cash. I wonder if whoever paid them, was careful about how they got that money. Did they just go to their bank and withdraw it?

Because that could be a problem for them if it was right before the incident happened.

 

[cody22]

My deductive sleuthing skills are telling me that these Nigerian fellows may never get invited to work out in Mr. Smollett's building's gym ever again.

 

[mickey2942]

The attempted murder charge stemmed from an incident in Chicago in 2011.

Man arrested in Smollett attack convicted in 2011 stabbing, filed for bankruptcy

This is significant. Because if those guys get charged and convicted with felony hate crime in the attack, the brother with the murder conviction could see serious time.

I bet that they were very cooperative during the questioning with Chicago PD. Which is why they got to leave Friday night.

And JS wants to continue the "Victim" story. Interesting. This will be a new version.

 

[maggieg]

This is significant. Because if those guys get charged and convicted with felony hate crime in the attack, the brother with the murder conviction could see serious time.

He ended up pleading guilty to aggravated battery so not as serious as attempted murder but still won't look good CWB Chicago: UPDATE: Smollett "potential persons of interest" went to Lakeview HS; More...

If this is a hoax, there are so many ways that they screwed up. People who think they're smarter than LE make such stupid mistakes.

I like most people I imagine initially believed the abbreviated story we heard, black, gay man had homophobic and racists slurs shouted at him and was then attacked. Then I saw the hate letter with the backward L in Smollett with the whole thing scrawled and looking so ridiculous and I started to have some doubts. Then we heard that the vicious attack was supposed to have taken place with him walking away in 60 seconds without them being interrupted or doing serious harm to him.

LE have evidence, the brothers seem to have flipped on him, he should just admit the truth and take a plea rather than string this out. My only question is was the choreographer Frank Gatson aware?

 

[Tim Callahan]

Jussie Smollett‏Verified account @JussieSmollett

What liars don't realize is that they are the most obvious people. ******** isn't that hard to smell. Just open ya nose and breathe. Aaahh!

2:24 PM - 27 Nov 2010

This was intentional, premeditated, and deeply damaging on many levels (I could write many pages on the harm he directly and indirectly caused).

Much as I agree with you that this was damaging on many levels, I think even more so he’s a canary in a coal mine as it were; exposing the toxic environment we’re in these days, albeit contributing to it as well.

 

[maggieg]

Charlie De Mar on Twitter
NEW: Sources say at least one of the brothers purchased the rope used in Jussie Smollett incident at Crafty Beaver hardware store the weekend of Jan 25th. Plain red hats worn by brothers were purchased from an Uptown beauty supply store. @cbschicago

I thought them wearing red/MAGA hats had been debunked?

 

[chi123]

As far as the security cameras go, I think it’s likely that he knew exactly where they were located.

Cameras would be able to catch him and the two suspects where and when they wanted the cameras to see them.

But the attack itself happened in the one dark area in one of the most heavily surveilled parts of Chicago.

That couldn’t have been a coincidence.

So I think that JS was banking on these guys either not being identified, or not talking if they were.

I think this is a good theory, since it seems like he never even considered that they would want his phone records or they’d be able to track the “perps” that easily. Seems like a burner phone would have been step 1 if he expected this kind of investigation or the 2 brothers to be identified. He thought since the cameras didn’t catch the actual assault it’d be very hard for them to track them down, IMO.

I live in the suburbs and the amount of great police work that has gone in to solving this case is amazing. I just wish we could keep that same energy (as the kids say) with our historically bad murder clearance rate in Chicago and the amount of unsolved missings..

 

[Tim Callahan]

Joshua Hoyos‏Verified account @JoshuaHoyos
New statement from Jussie Smollett’s attorneys “He has now been further victimized by claims attributed to these alleged perpetrators that Jussie played a role in his own attack. Nothing is further from the truth and anyone claiming otherwise is lying.”

More at the link

Joshua Hoyos on Twitter

That not-so-subtle swipe at the police could come back to haunt them big time. This is definitely not a “he-said, she-said” case at this point, and it’s certainly not beyond a prosecutor and LE’s to go the extra mile against someone that is adversarial when in no bargaining position to do so.

 

[Tim Callahan]

I could see that one coming from a mile away too.

ETA: I wonder if this was a his backup plan in case his story fell apart, throwing the other guys under the bus. Hopefully they have something in writing or recorded or it’s going to be a he said/they said.

I’m not sure someone who “orchestrated” what could end up being the lamest hoax of the century had a backup plan. And believe me, the CPD will have more than enough ammo for this to not be a he said/they said.