Jussie Smollett case in jurors’ hands at Chicago trial

By DON BABWIN and SARA BURNETT
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — A jury has completed deliberations for the day in the trial of actor Jussie Smollett on charges he staged a racist, anti-gay attack on himself and lied to Chicago police about it. After a weeklong trial, the jury deliberated for about two hours Wednesday before breaking for the day. Two brothers testified that Smollett orchestrated the hoax to get publicity. They say he paid them to fake the January 2019 attack in downtown Chicago. Smollett testified “there was no hoax” and that he was the victim of a hate crime. He says the brothers are “liars.” His attorneys say the brothers wanted $1 million not to testify against Smollett.