He closed out 2021 on a sour note after being found guilty on five of six charges related to the alleged attack against him, but Jussie Smollett’s court battle is far from over. Earlier today (February 25), a new report surfaced stating that the Empire actor is hoping to receive a new trial after his attorneys have cited issues pertaining to the selection of the jury.
It was back in 2019 when Smollett famously claimed that he was walking down a Chicago street when he was attacked by two unknown assailants. According to the actor, two White men accosted him, placed a noose around his neck, and shouted racist and homophobic obscenities. An investigation by the Chicago Police Department reportedly uncovered inconsistencies and soon, authorities accused Smollett of orchestrating the attack for recognition.
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The Chicago Sun-Times reported that Smollett is scheduled to return to court for sentencing next month after being found guilty of five counts of disorderly conduct. Smollett has continued to maintain his innocence.
Meanwhile, TMZ reported that the actor’s attorneys have submitted documents requesting for a reversal of the guilty verdict, citing that “the court violated his constitutional rights when it prevented his defense team from actively participating in the jury selection process.” According to the outlet, Smollett’s legal team “were not allowed to ask questions of potential jurors … and his defense claims the jury pool for the high-profile case was tainted.”
There are also allegations made against prosecutors as Smollett claimed they “showed a pattern of racism in selecting jurors” and influenced witnesses to lie on the stand. The documents also added that the judge should not have kept the media out of the courtroom. Only time will tell if this appeal will be granted.