GUILTY IL - Actor Jussie Smollett allegedly attacked in hate crime, Jan 2019 #6 *GUILTY*

[katydid23]

I noticed that the letter is a very sensitive topic, and the prosecutor is walking on eggshells concerning the letter....

It could be bad for the prosecutions case that there were ,allegedly, magazines found that might have been the source of that racist letter----because that would go to the defense claim that the brothers are anti-gay and were bullying JS and they wrote the threatening letter and then assaulted him.

I have not seen or heard any claim, during opening statements or the trial testimony, alleging the source of that letter yet.

 

[katydid23]

I noticed that the letter is a very sensitive topic, and the prosecutor is walking on eggshells concerning the letter....

It could be bad for the prosecutions case that there were ,allegedly, magazines found that might have been the source of that racist letter----because that would go to the defense claim that the brothers are anti-gay and were bullying JS and they wrote the threatening letter and then assaulted him.

I have not seen or heard any claim, during opening statements or the trial testimony, alleging the source of that letter yet.

adding to my post, I am not sure that the 'sources' in that article above panned out. I think it may be something that has not been proven so both sides are leaving it be, for now anyway...

Jussie Smollett Was Involved In Creating Racist Letter, Which Later Led To Attack, Sources Say
"The two brothers involved in the Jussie Smollett attack told police that Smollett was behind creating a racist letter that was sent to the actor on the set of his show, “Empire,” according to two sources with first-hand knowledge of the investigation."

 

[katydid23]

CHICAGO (CBS) — A defense attorney called for a mistrial in the Jussie Smollett trial Thursday, after a wild few moments in which she accused the judge of lunging at her.

As CBS 2’s Charlie De Mar reported, this happened during a sidebar conversation with attorneys from both sides and Cook County Judge James Linn. Defense attorney Tamara Walker asked for a mistrial because of a comment that Judge Linn made, and then she began crying and accused Judge Linn of physically lunging at her in the courtroom.


CBS 2 Legal Analyst Irv Miller said he has never heard an attorney make such allegations against a judge.

“Never seen it happen,” Miller said. “This is a first even for me – I’ve been doing this a long time. But I’ve never seen an attorney accuse a judge of doing anything such as this attorney announced in court that occurred in Judge Linn.”

Miller said the since the jury was not present when the purported lunge took place, it will not have an effect on the trial.

Another attorney for Smollett also accused Judge Linn of snarling and making faces throughout the testimony.
Jussie Smollett Trial: Defense Attorney Calls For Mistrial And Accuses Judge Of Lunging At Her; Judge Denies Claims And Motion


So the defense attorney began crying, and accused the judge of lunging at her? ....WAS THE JURY PRESENT WHEN SHE ACCUSED THE JUDGE OF LUNGING?

I can't help but notice that these claims of the judge lunging and snarling and making mean faces---it seems like the defense team is making allegations of a 'hate' crime against the court.....

 

[katydid23]

Here is a really good article about the Opening Statements:
Prosecutors: Jussie Smollett Faked Attack After Real Threat Was Ignored

Dan K. Webb, the special prosecutor, laid out what he saw as Mr. Smollett’s motive in opening arguments of the actor’s trial on criminal charges that he lied to the police when he reported he had been the victim of a racist and homophobic attack.

In January 2019, Mr. Webb said, Mr. Smollett received an anonymous “actual hate letter,” which included a homophobic slur and a drawing of a stick figure hanging from a tree. The letter included the acronym “MAGA” made of cutout newspaper and magazine letters, he said, a reference to former President Donald J. Trump’s campaign slogan. Law enforcement has not been able to determine who sent the letter, Mr. Webb said.

“Therefore, he devised this fake hate crime to take place so that the ‘Empire’ studio would take this more seriously,” he said of Mr. Smollett, “because this fake hate crime would get media attention.”


After Mr. Smollett reported the attack, Mr. Webb said, he refused to turn over some evidence to the Chicago Police Department, including his cellphone, medical records from his hospital visit after the alleged attack and a saliva swab that police said would help eliminate his DNA from samples.

The defense says :
In the defense’s opening argument, which lasted about 20 minutes, Mr. Smollett’s lead lawyer, Nenye Uche, sought to cast doubt on the accounts of the brothers, whom he described as Mr. Smollett’s “self-confessed attackers.”

“It was a real crime that occurred against Jussie,” Mr. Uche said, adding that the brothers “did not like him” and that it was possible that a third person had been involved in the attack.

“The evidence will not show that Jussie Smollett wanted attention,” Mr. Uche said. “Jussie was not a person who liked attention. His publicist was frustrated with him because of that.”

The motive that Mr. Webb laid out differed from what the police said in February 2019: that Mr. Smollett had planned the attack because he was upset about his salary on “Empire” and was seeking publicity. The police also accused him of having written the threatening letter himself.

==================================

I don't think that is a very strong defense, to just say JS didn't want or like attention...He appears to really crave drama and attention. I hope they showed the jury the GMA 14 minute interview.

 

[katydid23]

Then there was a breakthrough: A subpoena to Uber showed the name of the person who had ordered a ride-share on the night of the attack, matching the area where they had tracked the suspects. It was Olabinjo Osundairo.

The brothers were ultimately arrested on suspicion of their involvement in the attack. While they were in police custody, Mr. Smollett gave an interview on “Good Morning America” saying there was no doubt in his mind that the two men in the surveillance footage were his attackers. Jurors viewed the video, which Detective Theis characterized as a significant development in the case.

The brothers, who had retained an attorney, agreed after Mr. Smollett’s interview to tell police what happened, Detective Theis said. It was in fact Mr. Smollett who recruited them to help carry out the phony attack, they said.

Police then set out to corroborate or refute the brothers’ account, a probe that included a review of more video footage and cellphone records. Their claims checked out, Detective Theis said.

‘I am making this statement so everyone else knows. They will not get away with this’: Text from Jussie Smollett a focus of trial’s 2nd day

This^^^ article answers my earlier question---YES, the jury did watch the GMA interview...

 

[katydid23]

Here is an excerpt from an interview w/JS that I've never seen before. In this one, he goes after the cops, accusing them of being corrupt and setting him up....

He is interv iewd by Marc Lamont Hill, on a Canadian show

 

[mickey2942]

So, now, Jussie says that the police just won't let it go. The fact that Jussie never changed his story, does not make it true.

Jussie Smollett May Have Scored with Jury Over Osundairo Drug Testimony

Actually, the brothers talking about the fact that they are drug dealers, made them appear even more credible to me.

 

[al66pine]

Hate Mail. Source Identified?

adding to my post, I am not sure that the 'sources' in that article above panned out. I think it may be something that has not been proven so both sides are leaving it be, for now anyway...
Jussie Smollett Was Involved In Creating Racist Letter, Which Later Led To Attack, Sources Say
"The two brothers involved in the Jussie Smollett attack told police that Smollett was behind creating a racist letter that was sent to the actor on the set of his show, “Empire,” according to two sources with first-hand knowledge of the investigation."

@katydid23
TYVM for raising this critical point--- that stmt was made per "two sources with first-hand knowledge of the investigation." but no names. I had overlooked that.

 

[Kristin Esq.]

No new updates today, was court not in session?

 

[angelainwi]

No new updates today, was court not in session?

Court was not in session today

 

[Kristin Esq.]

Court was not in session today

Thanks!

 

[mickey2942]

Court was not in session today

No "lunges and snarls"? I SO want this on CourtTv!!! Dang it!

 

[katydid23]

No "lunges and snarls"? I SO want this on CourtTv!!! Dang it!

The defense team is going hard at trying for a mistrial. They will be doing that continuously. That is their only hope. If they can keep getting mistrials the public will turn against the state for wasting time and money on this thing.

 

[katydid23]

So, now, Jussie says that the police just won't let it go. The fact that Jussie never changed his story, does not make it true.

Jussie Smollett May Have Scored with Jury Over Osundairo Drug Testimony

Actually, the brothers talking about the fact that they are drug dealers, made them appear even more credible to me.

That article was misleading, imo.

They never said during the trial that they paid for Jussie's drugs. They said they were 'middle men'--not drug dealers. And I totally understand that.

I never considered my self a drug dealer---====but I had a very good friend who sold VERY good weed. And occasionally my boyfriend or coworker would ask me to get them some. I couldn't give my connections number to anyone so I would get it for them myself and wouldn't make a profit--other than smoking with them...

IT sounds like that was what the brothers were saying. They were middle men, not drug dealers...JMO

 

[mickey2942]

@katydid23 "middleman" "drug dealers", semantics. Either way, I still find the brothers far more credible than Smollett. And that is something.

 

[angelainwi]

Jussie Smollett judge, defense attorney differ on lunging claim

Jussie Smollett judge, defense attorney differ on lunging claim

 

[mickey2942]

Jussie Smollett judge, defense attorney differ on lunging claim

Jussie Smollett judge, defense attorney differ on lunging claim

"Walker said she viewed the encounter as part of a long pattern of disrespect toward female attorneys — particularly Black female attorneys — in courtrooms across the country.".

Walker is referring to Judge Linn, who has been serving as a felony judge for over 13 years in Cook County.

The defense lawyer requests the annulment of the trial and accuses the judge of having pounced on her; Judge dismisses claims and motions - CBS Chicago

 

[al66pine]

Wait a minute.
Did judge lunge at atty or pounce on atty?
Or both?
W a knife or broken bottle in his hand too???
j/k

 

[katydid23]

@katydid23 "middleman" "drug dealers", semantics. Either way, I still find the brothers far more credible than Smollett. And that is something.

Oh, I agree. I find them way more credible than JS.

Did the brothers screw up? Absolutely. They made several very stupid decisions. But they did not commit a hate crime.

 

[mickey2942]

Oh, I agree. I find them way more credible than JS.

Did the brothers screw up? Absolutely. They made several very stupid decisions. But they did not commit a hate crime.

I really like how Smollett is completely fine with throwing them under the bus, as hating gay men. Despicable is just the beginning of how I would characterize Smollett.

Yes, the Osundario Brothers are definitely not "mensa" candidates.