A woman selected to be a juror in Jussie Smollett’s hate crime trial was dismissed after she admitted she wouldn’t be able to fairly judge the case — because her daughter is gay.
The 39-year-old actor was issued a 16-count felony indictment for filing a false police report after claiming to be the victim of a shocking racist and homophobic attack in Chicago in 2019. He allegedly knew the two men investigated in the incident and claims were made that Smollett staged the attack.
Smollett’s initial charges were dropped by Cook County State Attorney Kim Foxx’s office in the same month they were filed, but in February 2020 he was indicted once again for allegedly orchestrating the attack himself.
And a Caucasian woman chosen to potentially be a part of the jury had to pull out, upon learning details of the crime, and, ultimately, decided after doing her research that she feared taking part in the trial could put her child at risk.
She stated: “When I found out it was a hate crime, my daughter is gay, so I did some research on that. She works in the downtown area, so I was very concerned for her safety and what was going on.”
After being asked by Cook County Judge James Lin if she could offer an impartial view to help decide the verdict, the woman was dismissed after admitting she wasn’t sure if she could.
According to reports, other jurors included a woman who has seen “Empire” and enjoys drag, an immigrant from Iraq, a Canadian store manager, a counselor, a man who works in health care, and a salesman.
Prosecutor Dan Webb claimed Smollett had allegedly recruited the two siblings he worked with to help him carry out the fake attack and that Chicago police spent 3,000 hours investigating the crime.
Webb told the courtroom in Chicago on Monday, Nov. 29, 2021, “When he reported the fake hate crime that was a real crime.”
The brothers claimed Smollett awarded them $3,500 to pose as his attackers, and he has been charged with felony disorderly conduct.
The prosecutor said Smollett then “devised this fake crime” and rehearsed it with Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo, and instructed them to use racial and homophobic slurs and “MAGA (Make American Great Again).”
Other key points include Smollett asking the pair to film the fake attack on video, however, a filming mishap meant the device was facing the wrong way.
Smollett’s lawyer has insisted his client “is a real victim” of a “real crime.”
Attorney Nenye Uche insisted the $3,500 check was paid to his colleagues for a music video they were making. And the lawyer claimed there was a third person involved in the attack.
There were 12 jurors in the end, plus alternate jurors, with a verdict set for a week.
At this stage, it is unknown if Smollett will testify.
If convicted, a prison sentence of up to three years is not unheard of, however, Smollett could end up on probation and be given community service.
The judge had asked for evidence to be brought forward until 7 p.m., and then the court was adjourned for the day.
