[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]
An aspiring actor testified in court on Wednesday, claiming he and his brother were hired by former Empire star Jussie Smollett to stage a homophobic and racist attack on him in Chicago three years ago.
As you’ll recall, Jussie claimed that he had been the victim of a hate crime on January 29, 2019, during which the suspects yelled a homophobic slur and said:
“This is MAGA country.”
That slogan is taken from former President Donald Trump’s infamous phrase “Make America Great Again.” Brothers Abimbola (inset) and Ola Osundairo were arrested for the attack, but the charges were quickly cleared by police. Reports soon came out that the brothers confessed they had been hired to FAKE the attack. Jussie is currently facing six counts of felony disorderly conduct for making false police reports. He’s been charged with one count for each time he gave a police report to prosecutors (which happened with three different officers).
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The case quickly became a political lightning rod. Conservatives who want to deny that these kinds of racist hate crimes still take place jumped all over this as evidence for their argument. Frankly we figure it does the exact opposite — when a racially motivated attack is fake, look how quickly it gets found out? There’s just too much evidence to keep up a hoax like that. If anything, this is a great example of why this nonsense about crisis actors would never actually work IRL. People are going to talk. Speaking of which, Abimbola, AKA Abel, is speaking out on the stand about how Smollett arranged for the whole thing to happen.
According to Abel, he and his brother were given extensive instructions on how they should carry out the alleged hoax attack, including completing a “dry run.” Smollett also allegedly gave them a $100 bill to buy supplies needed, such as bleach which they tossed on the actor during the incident. (Smollett had suggested gasoline, but they felt bleach was a better option.) Thinking back on January 29, Abel recalled having difficulty finding a good spot for the staged event, walking around Windy City in the very early morning. He also told the court that it was “colder than penguin feet” that day.
Eventually, they did spot Smollett around 2 a.m. and the plan was set in motion. After yelling the offensive slurs, Abel was instructed to punch Jussie, but “not too hard.” Once the 39-year-old fell to the ground, he was told to leave “a bruise” and “give him a noogie” (AKA rubbing his knuckles hard on the apparent victim’s head). They then put a noose around Jussie’s neck, poured bleach on him, and ran away.
The noose was likely inspired by a piece of hate mail Jussie showed Osundairo days before the attack. The note, which was viewed by the jurors and supposedly delivered to the TV studio Jussie worked at, included a stick-figure drawing of a person hanging by a noose with a gun pointed at them.
It was days after seeing this note that Smollett texted Abel to meet up “on the low.” During this alleged secret meeting, Abel was asked “to beat him up” and if his brother, Ola, could help. Reflecting on that moment, he mused:
“I was confused, I look puzzled.”
Abel added that Smollett “explained he wanted me to fake beat him up.” The whole thing happened in public because it was important for Jussie to have a camera recording the event for media purposes. He allegedly drove the brothers into the city ahead of the attack. The next morning as the news made headlines, Osundairo texted Smollett as planned, writing:
“Bruh, say it ain’t true. I’m praying for speedy recovery.”
Unfortunately, the condolence note wasn’t enough to avoid police attention, as they followed the evidence to the Osundairos. The brothers were arrested, but charges were quickly dismissed once police heard their side of the story.
On Wednesday, Chicago police detective Kimberly Murray discussed what it was like to interview Smollett the morning of the attack, explaining that he was unwilling to hand over his cell phone despite claiming he had received a threatening call just days earlier. He also wouldn’t give medical records or agree to a DNA swab. During the chat, Jussie alleged that he had been assaulted by at least one white male in a ski mask. He couldn’t remember the other’s identity.
Another police officer, who testified on Tuesday, added that once the Osundairo brothers were tracked down using surveillance video and taxi/ride-share records, they were taken into custody. Soon after they gave their report, Jussie’s account of the attack began to change. Detective Robert Graves remembered him switching white to “pale skin.” When told the brothers were in custody, Jussie supposedly said:
“It can’t be them, they’re black as sin.”
Graves noted that during a February 14 interview, the Cali native agreed to sign a complaint against the brothers, but his attorney stopped him. An hour-and-a-half later, he texted Abel, writing:
“I know 1000% you and your brother did nothing wrong and never would.”
The detective said this only meant one thing: Jussie had lied to him. Yikes.
While it’s hard to understand why anyone agreed to do this in the first place, Abel explained that he felt obligated to help The Mighty Ducks alum because Jussie had helped him begin his acting career. However, loyalty only goes so far — he also testified that he was paid $3,500. He told the court Jussie gave him a check that was purportedly for a nutrition and workout program (which was only partly true).
Defense attorney Nenye Uche disagreed with all of the above, insisting that his client was attacked “because of who he is” (Black and gay). He called Jussie the “real victim” and told jurors the brothers’ testimony was unreliable. Considering the mountain of evidence going the other way, this is going to be a real uphill battle for the defense.
Maybe they’re throwing anything at the wall just to see what sticks at this point? Because we honestly don’t understand the tactic they deployed on cross-examination.
Smollett team attorney Shay Allen asked Abel on Thursday about DATING Jussie! Huh?! Where did that come from?! The lawyer asked point blank:
“When did you and Jussie start dating?”
Abel responded that the two “were never dating” and that he only ever wanted to be friends with the Empire actor.
Allen then got WAY personal, asking Osundairo if he recalled masturbating with Jussie at a bathhouse. Wow. The aspiring actor had previously mentioned visiting “clubs, stripclubs, and a bathhouse” with his friend. But there was never any indication from any reports that the two were romantically or sexually entangled. He now says he does not recall such an incident. Seems like something you’d remember, frankly…
We have no idea whether these friends had little game of two-man tug, but the big question is why would it matter? We can only guess at why the defense might be bringing this up. Obviously they’re trying to discredit his testimony. But how??
Our speculation? They’re setting up the jury to wonder if Abel was romantically interested in Jussie and maybe made up this whole fake attack story to get back at him. If they can paint him as a spurned lover, they can at least create a plausible reason for him to lie, right?
Allen also tried more obvious discrediting moves, pointing out that what the Osundairos did was the real crime because they really punched the defendant. The attorney also prodded Abel on whether he was a drug dealer — as he’d already admitted to scoring “weed, cocaine, and molly” for Smollett. But he denied he was a dealer, saying he just went and got the drugs from a dealer — at Jussie’s request.
Finally, the defense tried a completely different tack, painting the whole situation as a move by two ambitious brothers. Allen suggested the Osundairos were just looking for money, roughing up Jussie so he’d give them a $5K a week job in LA, all of which Abel denied.
Sorry, but WHAT??
How many stories are they going to ask the jury to believe here? Just anything but the same on the brothers have been telling the whole time? As far as Olabinjo Osundario in concerned, this is all a done deal, and everyone knows it. Speaking to DailyMail.com on the courthouse steps, he said:
“The jig has been up for two years man.”
While he said he still considers Jussie “a brother, always a brother” he thinks everyone is pretty clear on what went down now — and who is to blame.
Wow… We are sure more and more information is bound to be revealed as this court case continues. While nothing has been decided yet, the Empire alum could be looking at up to three years of prison time, if convicted of the class 4 felony. Experts think it’s more likely he would receive probation or be ordered to complete community service.
Thoughts? Let us know (below).
[Image via Joseph Marzullo/WENN & CBS Chicago/YouTube]
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