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Chicago has indicted Smollett on six counts of somethin'...

 
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Jussie Smollett: US actor found guilty of staging racist, homophobic attack on himself​



US actor Jussie Smollett has been found guilty of staging a hate crime against himself in what prosecutors said was a bid to gain sympathy and bolster his career.

Prosecutors said the 39-year-old former Empire star lied to police when he told them that he was accosted on a Chicago street by two masked strangers in January 2019.

The Cook County Circuit Court jury, which deliberated for nine hours, found Smollett guilty of five of the six felony disorderly conduct counts he faced, one for each time he was accused of lying to police.

In the courtroom as the verdict was read, Smollett stood and faced the jury, showing no visible reaction.

Each felony count carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison, but experts have said it is likely that Smollett would be placed on probation and ordered to perform community service.


Cook County Judge James Linn did not set a date for sentencing, but scheduled a pre-sentencing hearing for 27 January.
 
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Richard Channing said:
Each felony count carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison, but experts have said it is likely that Smollett would be placed on probation and ordered to perform community service.
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This is kind of baffling to me. I would think the penalty would be much worse for inventing a crime that didn’t even happen. Just probation and community service? I think it’s a bad message.
 
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Black Lives Matter stands with Jussie Smollett after verdict, but Don Lemon does not​

Nardine Saad

Social-justice organization Black Lives Matter is still standing with Jussie Smollett after the actor was convicted Thursday of staging a racist, homophobic attack and lying to police about it.
But his old friend Don Lemon, the CNN anchor who once defended him amid allegations of a hoax, is not supporting him.


Smollett, best known for his role on the TV series "Empire," was found guilty Thursday on five of six counts of disorderly conduct. His attorneys say they plan to appeal the decision, which legal experts have said bears a light penalty for the actor that would likely include probation and community service.

The charges stemmed from a January 2019 incident in downtown Chicago. Smollett, 39, told Chicago police at the time that he had been attacked by two masked assailants who hurled racist and anti-gay slurs at him as they hit him, poured a chemical substance on him and put a rope around his neck.

As authorities investigated the incident as a possible hate crime, numerous celebrities, politicians and other public figures spoke out in support of Smollett in 2019 and condemned the alleged attack.

Earlier this week, BLM backed Smollett during his criminal trial. After the verdict was announced late Thursday, BLM Los Angeles leader Melina Abdullah told TMZ that its stance hasn't changed and Smollett still has the organization's full support.

Representatives for BLM did not immediately respond Friday to The Times' request for comment.

"As abolitionists, we approach situations of injustice with love and align ourselves with our community. Because we got us," BLM said in a Tuesday statement. "So let’s be clear: we love everybody in our community. It’s not about a trial or a verdict decided in a white supremacist charade, it’s about how we treat our community when corrupt systems are working to devalue their lives. In an abolitionist society, this trial would not be taking place, and our communities would not have to fight and suffer to prove our worth."

The organization also blasted the Chicago Police Department, which it said has "has proven time and again to have no respect for our lives."

"In our commitment to abolition, we can never believe police, especially the Chicago Police Department (CPD) over Jussie Smollett, a Black man who has been courageously present, visible, and vocal in the struggle for Black freedom," Tuesday's statement continued. "Black Lives Matter will continue to work towards the abolition of police and every unjust system. We will continue to love and protect one another, and wrap our arms around those who do the work to usher in Black freedom and, by extension, freedom for everyone else."

Meanwhile, Lemon turned his back on Smollett during his CNN show Thursday night, calling the actor a liar who made it more difficult for real victims of hate crimes to come forward.
"He had to make up too many lies as to why he didn't want to do certain things ... to cover. Like another lie — and I guess he got caught up in that because he took the stand himself," Lemon said on "Don Lemon Tonight." "He got angry with the prosecutor as the prosecutor poked holes in his story — calling the only other witnesses liars."

Lemon added: "Here's what folks are concerned about — that what he did might undermine future victims, legitimate victims of hate crimes."

Lemon didn't mention that his own name came up during the trial. Smollett testified that the CNN host allegedly sent him a message informing him that Chicago police didn't believe his account of what happened the night of the alleged attack — a revelation that spurred ethical questions for the journalist.

When the verdict was handed down Thursday, conservatives on Twitter also skewered the actor, as well as the liberal public figures who defended him — President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, among them — in the initial stages of the investigation.

"Tonight, Jussie Smollett can rest knowing that his attacker has been convicted," tweeted conservative pundit Ben Shapiro.

Times staff writer Tracy Brown contributed to this report.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.




 
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Christmas In Dallas Forever said:
This is kind of baffling to me. I would think the penalty would be much worse for inventing a crime that didn’t even happen. Just probation and community service? I think it’s a bad message.
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I've never seen the logic of making a false accusation to the police. This guy has acted in a foolish manner but didn't single out individuals.

I've seen many examples of women making false rape accusations against an individual who is named while she hides behind the anonymity provided by law. The accused is often held on remand until the trial and often convicted. That's recently happened to a football player. He was acquitted on appeal. The woman who fabricated the alleged rape retained the anonymity. Seldom does the judicial system hand down punitive measures to women that make these false accusation.

That's the wrong message I would suggest.
 
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Willie Holyson said:
I, for one, am supporting smouldering Smollie Jussett because the best crime is the crime that didn't happen. Nobody was hurt. Phew!
Click to expand...
Let me help you fix up.

By making malicious statements to the police about being a victim of a homophobic and racist attack, now means that the next person how is attacked in similar fashion is met with incredulity.

The resources spent investigating false claims means that police time and taxpayers money has been wasted.

The actions of the chap in question will be felt by family and friends

There is no such thing as "victimless crime" Are you getting this?
 
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The Christmas Oracle said:

Black Lives Matter stands with Jussie Smollett after verdict, but Don Lemon does not​

Nardine Saad

Social-justice organization Black Lives Matter is still standing with Jussie Smollett after the actor was convicted Thursday of staging a racist, homophobic attack and lying to police about it.
But his old friend Don Lemon, the CNN anchor who once defended him amid allegations of a hoax, is not supporting him.


Smollett, best known for his role on the TV series "Empire," was found guilty Thursday on five of six counts of disorderly conduct. His attorneys say they plan to appeal the decision, which legal experts have said bears a light penalty for the actor that would likely include probation and community service.

The charges stemmed from a January 2019 incident in downtown Chicago. Smollett, 39, told Chicago police at the time that he had been attacked by two masked assailants who hurled racist and anti-gay slurs at him as they hit him, poured a chemical substance on him and put a rope around his neck.

As authorities investigated the incident as a possible hate crime, numerous celebrities, politicians and other public figures spoke out in support of Smollett in 2019 and condemned the alleged attack.

Earlier this week, BLM backed Smollett during his criminal trial. After the verdict was announced late Thursday, BLM Los Angeles leader Melina Abdullah told TMZ that its stance hasn't changed and Smollett still has the organization's full support.

Representatives for BLM did not immediately respond Friday to The Times' request for comment.

"As abolitionists, we approach situations of injustice with love and align ourselves with our community. Because we got us," BLM said in a Tuesday statement. "So let’s be clear: we love everybody in our community. It’s not about a trial or a verdict decided in a white supremacist charade, it’s about how we treat our community when corrupt systems are working to devalue their lives. In an abolitionist society, this trial would not be taking place, and our communities would not have to fight and suffer to prove our worth."

The organization also blasted the Chicago Police Department, which it said has "has proven time and again to have no respect for our lives."

"In our commitment to abolition, we can never believe police, especially the Chicago Police Department (CPD) over Jussie Smollett, a Black man who has been courageously present, visible, and vocal in the struggle for Black freedom," Tuesday's statement continued. "Black Lives Matter will continue to work towards the abolition of police and every unjust system. We will continue to love and protect one another, and wrap our arms around those who do the work to usher in Black freedom and, by extension, freedom for everyone else."

Meanwhile, Lemon turned his back on Smollett during his CNN show Thursday night, calling the actor a liar who made it more difficult for real victims of hate crimes to come forward.
"He had to make up too many lies as to why he didn't want to do certain things ... to cover. Like another lie — and I guess he got caught up in that because he took the stand himself," Lemon said on "Don Lemon Tonight." "He got angry with the prosecutor as the prosecutor poked holes in his story — calling the only other witnesses liars."

Lemon added: "Here's what folks are concerned about — that what he did might undermine future victims, legitimate victims of hate crimes."

Lemon didn't mention that his own name came up during the trial. Smollett testified that the CNN host allegedly sent him a message informing him that Chicago police didn't believe his account of what happened the night of the alleged attack — a revelation that spurred ethical questions for the journalist.

When the verdict was handed down Thursday, conservatives on Twitter also skewered the actor, as well as the liberal public figures who defended him — President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, among them — in the initial stages of the investigation.

"Tonight, Jussie Smollett can rest knowing that his attacker has been convicted," tweeted conservative pundit Ben Shapiro.

Times staff writer Tracy Brown contributed to this report.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.




Click to expand...
This is a lot of so what. If any of it pushed your pony back in.... The fault is with you.
 
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Biggie said:
By making malicious statements to the police about being a victim of a homophobic and racist attack, now means that the next person how is attacked in similar fashion is met with incredulity.
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Right. Victims of homophobic and racist attacks are and always have been the police's first priority. And now Jussie Smollett has ruined that perfect scenario.

Honey, get real.
 
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Willie Holyson said:
homophobic and racist attacks are and always have been the police's first priority
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I'll do you favour and choose to believe you were doing a comic turn.

If you want to believe that hate attacks are "police's first priority", you have my blessings. ISIS who... right?

Effective immediately.... I will formulate your thoughts and opinions on everything everywhere.
 
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