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

[Cool Cats]

Jussie Smollett Wants Trial Verdict Changed, Cites Jury Selection Issues

Jussie Smollett standing with noose around his neck in his apartment from police body cam footage. January 29, 2019.
He shows police then a cop grabs it looking at it then asks if he wants to take it off. Then Jussie takes it off and sets it on the counter.

 

[Laughing]

Jussie Smollett Wants Trial Verdict Changed, Cites Jury Selection Issues

Hhhmm, I expect the high-profile nature of this trial would prevent the irregularities Jussie's legal team allege.

I've been in the courtroom during jury selection at least 5 times, and heard questions from both teams each time.

Wait, is this another hoax?

jmho ymmv lrr

 

[Catmommy]

Uh ... Jessie ... who?

 

[katydid23]

Much as I think that Smollett is guilty of a serious crime, I’m a bit worried about the issue of jury selection. The system I’m familiar with is one where both prosecution and defense have control over which jurors are chosen.

Is that not true in Illinois? Or is the appeal just the usual assortment of desperate lies that we see when someone is obviously guilty?

I am certain that BOTH sides were allowed to question the potential jurors. I think the issue was that the judge shut down SOME of the questions that the defense tried to ask. They were asking pointed, biased racial questions and the judge thought it was not appropriate the way it was being done. But I didnt hear the exact questions they asked.

I wish we had transcripts!

 

[katydid23]

Hhhmm, I expect the high-profile nature of this trial would prevent the irregularities Jussie's legal team allege.

I've been in the courtroom during jury selection at least 5 times, and heard questions from both teams each time.

Wait, is this another hoax?

jmho ymmv lrr

Exactly---Could you imagine what would have happened if the judge REALLY did deny the defense the ability to ask the potential juror's questions, and the state was allowed to? There would have been a huge presser with Reverend Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton and the attorney Crump, all speaking on tv about the judge and his discriminatory actions.

There is no way it actually happened the way it is now being described. I think 'some' of the questions that the defense wanted to ask were probably curtailed. I've seen that happen a lot. The judge is never going to let either side have total control over the subject matter. The attorneys, from both sides, often go too far or get too personal and they also 'make statements' by asking certain questions, which judges do not like them to do.

 

[katydid23]

If they had issues with the jury, it should have been brought up before. I think we discussed this very issue in the thread. My personal belief is that the defense knew what the outcome would be, regardless of the jury, so they let it ride, to make it a huge appellate issue.

To be clear, they want to create a "race issue", when what they have is a client who lies. He lied to police, he lied to the public, he lied on the stand. There is no racial situation here. It is actually insulting that the defense believes that changing the jury would create a different outcome.

But, they actually don't want another trial. They just want the judge to forget this and set aside the verdict. No. That won't happen.

"To be clear, they want to create a "race issue", when what they have is a client who lies."

This^^^^-----that is what I think the issue was that the defense and the judge argued about. There were tweets, IIRC, about the defense asking huge blanket racial questions of individual jurors. And the judge was saying that the case was about 'the truth and the facts' of the incident---and NOT about racism, in general. And so he did not allow them to go down that road.

So this could get interesting.

 

[Seattle1]

Jussie Smollett files documents requesting a new trial after taking issue with jury selection | Daily Mail Online

So many rules were already bent for this guy! The sense of entitlement that continues to come from the convicted is insane and tiring. MOO

From the link:

Jussie was convicted last month for lying to police about a racist, homophobic attack that authorities said he staged, will return to court for sentencing March 10.

Cook County Judge James Linn set the sentencing date in Chicago for the former Empire actor, who told the judge he was in New York, during a hearing on Zoom.

Smollett was found guilty by a jury Dec. 9 of five felony counts of disorderly conduct under a subsection of the law that prohibits making false reports to police. He was acquitted on a sixth count.

[..]

While the charges carry a possible sentence of three years in prison, legal experts have said Smollett is unlikely to get prison time for the low-level felonies, and is more likely to be sentenced to probation and ordered to perform community service.

Meanwhile, lawsuits that were on hold pending the outcome of the criminal case may now move forward. They include a lawsuit the city of Chicago filed against Smollett to recoup over $130,000 it spent investigating what police initially believed was a terrible hate crime.

 

[wary]

So many rules were already bent for this guy! The sense of entitlement that continues to come from the convicted is insane and tiring. MOO

From the link:

Jussie was convicted last month for lying to police about a racist, homophobic attack that authorities said he staged, will return to court for sentencing March 10.

Cook County Judge James Linn set the sentencing date in Chicago for the former Empire actor, who told the judge he was in New York, during a hearing on Zoom.

Smollett was found guilty by a jury Dec. 9 of five felony counts of disorderly conduct under a subsection of the law that prohibits making false reports to police. He was acquitted on a sixth count.

[..]

While the charges carry a possible sentence of three years in prison, legal experts have said Smollett is unlikely to get prison time for the low-level felonies, and is more likely to be sentenced to probation and ordered to perform community service.

Meanwhile, lawsuits that were on hold pending the outcome of the criminal case may now move forward. They include a lawsuit the city of Chicago filed against Smollett to recoup over $130,000 it spent investigating what police initially believed was a terrible hate crime.

Well, I believe that it WAS a terrible hate crime, and that the sentencing should be appropriate for that.

MOO

 

[Seattle1]

Well, I believe that it WAS a terrible hate crime, and that the sentencing should be appropriate for that.

MOO

Your opinion is welcome here.
Respectfully, I believe the evidence as did the jurors.

 

[wary]

Your opinion is welcome here.
Respectfully, I believe the evidence as did the jurors.

It’s completely possible to believe the evidence, and agree with the jurors, and also believe that it was a hate crime, perpetrated against a class of people that JS despised.

MOO

 

[Cool Cats]

It’s completely possible to believe the evidence, and agree with the jurors, and also believe that it was a hate crime, perpetrated against a class of people that JS despised.

MOO

He blamed it on Trump supporters. I never thought about what he did as being a hate crime, interesting perspective on it.

He said he was assaulted by men wearing MAGA hats.

 

[mickey2942]

He blamed it on Trump supporters. I never thought about what he did as being a hate crime, interesting perspective on it.

My personal belief that a "Hate Crime Hoax" should be considered a "Hate Crime". And prosecuted under the same statutes. Smollett used a noose on himself during this hoax. He should be held by the same standards as if someone else had done the same action. JMOO.

Hate crime hoaxes are despicable, and perpetuate stereo types.

 

[wary]

My personal belief that a "Hate Crime Hoax" should be considered a "Hate Crime". And prosecuted under the same statutes. Smollett used a noose on himself during this hoax. He should be held by the same standards as if someone else had done the same action. JMOO.

Hate crime hoaxes are despicable, and perpetuate stereo types.

I completely agree about the seriousness of ‘hate crime hoaxes.’ They perpetrate stereotypes and can cause serious harm to innocent people. They’re extremely destructive to the fabric of society.

And as I see it, they’re definitely hate crimes. What are the chances that you’re going to frame a group of people for a terrible crime, if you feel liking for them, or even neutrality toward them? Not much, I think.

MOO

 

[Arkay]

Your opinion is welcome here.
Respectfully, I believe the evidence as did the jurors.

It’s completely possible to believe the evidence, and agree with the jurors, and also believe that it was a hate crime, perpetrated against a class of people that JS despised.

MOO

He blamed it on Trump supporters. I never thought about what he did as being a hate crime, interesting perspective on it.

He said he was assaulted by men wearing MAGA hats.

I think that @wary is saying it WAS a hate crime, but perpetrated BY Jesse, not AGAINST Jesse.

IMO that is the truth. I know JS is biracial, but the noose part would likely indicate that he was suggesting he was attacked by white men. And, of course, he specifically said it was white men, which the Nigerian brothers are not. But the noose angle was meant to be inflammatory. Then saying the men were wearing MAGA hats and so on. To me, this is a hate crime BY Jesse, even if white men are not considered a protected class.

I agree, a hate crime charge should be added to all his other charges, though I suspect it won’t.

 

[mickey2942]

I really think that the prosecution should add perjury charges to Smollett's list. He obviously lied outrageously on the stand. Did he think he was doing a "stand up" comedy routine? Or playing a part in a play, where he was the "star victim"?

 

[Cool Cats]

Jussie Smollett is expected to be sentenced Thursday, March 10

Jussie Smollett saga could end this week with his sentencing, as actor’s supporters write letters seeking leniency

Judge allows cameras in courtroom for Jussie Smollett’s expected sentencing next month

After three years of twists and turns, Jussie Smollett’s roller-coaster criminal case could finally come to an end Thursday when the actor is scheduled to be sentenced for staging a hoax hate crime on himself, barring a long-shot bid to get his conviction thrown out.

Detractors eager to see the former “Empire” actor do hard time likely will not get their wish. Smollett has minimal criminal history and was convicted on low-level nonviolent charges. Supporters hoping to see him exonerated before sentencing begins also should not get their hopes up: Requests for a new trial are commonly filed but very rarely granted.

Unlike during Smollett’s trial, the world can watch in real time Thursday as Smollett learns his fate. Associate Judge James Linn ruled last month that news cameras can be present in court during Thursday’s hearing.

 

[khaki]

Here are some links to local articles about tomorrow's sentencing:

Jussie Smollett could get ‘a taste of jail’ at sentencing Thursday, expert says

Jussie Smollett saga could end this week with his sentencing, as actor’s supporters write letters seeking leniency

I hope he serves time!

 

[khaki]

Charlie De Mar is a local CBS News reporter who has been on this case from the beginning. Hopefully he will tweet updates, but as mentioned up thread in the post of katydid23, news cameras are allowed in. Below is Charlie's twitter link:

@CharlieDeMar

https://twitter.com/CharlieDeMar/

 

[khaki]

Looks like they will be streaming at Noon CST.

Charlie De Mar
@CharlieDeMar

We will be live at the courthouse starting at NOON! Smollett will take what could be his final walk through the halls of 26th/California.

CBS Chicago
@cbschicago
· 1h
COMING UP AT NOON: Jussie Smollett is set to hear his sentence after he was convicted of orchestrating a hate crime hoax against himself.

 

[GatorFL]

Happy Jussie sentencing day!