(TargetLiberty.org) – Actor Jussie Smollett is now on trial in Chicago, on charges that he faked a racist and homophobic attack on himself. Legal experts say Smollett is likely to be convicted over the bungled stunt.
On January 29, 2019, Smollett told police two white men assaulted him outside his Chicago apartment, yelling racist and homophobic slurs and telling him “This is MAGA country.” He claimed the attack had been provoked by his criticism of President Trump. There was an immediate outpouring of support for Smollett, with current Vice President Kamala Harris calling the attack “a modern-day lynching.” However Smollett’s claims quickly began to unravel, and on February 11, 2020, he was charged on six counts of making false police reports.
Jussie Smollett faces up to 3 years in prison. It should be more.
— Nick Adams (@NickAdamsinUSA) November 30, 2021
Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, says the prosecution has “a really strong case” against Smollett. If anything that’s an understatement; the two black men Smollett allegedly hired to beat him say he paid them $3,500 to stage the assault, and security camera footage shows them buying the clothes they wore during the fake crime.
Submitting a false police report is a Class Four felony in Illinois, and carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison. However, attorney Silva Megerditchian says it’s unlikely Smollett will get jail time; more likely he’ll get probation. The wild card is the level of public outrage caused by the initial assault claim, followed by the backlash when the hoax was exposed. That, says Megerditchian, might push a judge to impose a heavier punishment “considering the nation is watching.”
Smollett allegedly faked the attack to raise his public profile. That might be about to backfire on him.
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