Jussie Smollett trial: Judge orders no cameras, press in courtroom during jury selection

The only Black juror on the panel that convicted Jussie Smollett of lying to Chicago police said he couldn't get past what the actor did not do after he claimed attackers looped a noose around his neck: Rip it off and keep it off. If others saw the noose as Smollett's clumsy effort to portray his attackers as racist, Andre Hope saw much more.

The jury in the case of actor Jussie Smollett has reached a guilty verdict in his trial on five felony charges that he faked a hate crime and was responsible for orchestrating it in January 2019.

Jussie Smollett (Pic: Shutterstock.com)

Jussie Smollett's defense attorney said they will be appealing the actor's guilty verdicts Thursday following the conclusion of the trial. A jury found Smollett guilty of five of the six charges of disorderly conduct against him following a nearly two-week trial.

Another verdict on a huge celeb trial is in!

Jussie Smollett has been found guilty.On Thursday, the jury ruled that he was guilty on five of the six counts of disorderly conduct for which he was charged.He faces up to three years in prison, and will be sentenced at a later date, which has not yet been determined.Smollett was convicted on five counts related to giving a false report to police on the day of the attack.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterJussie Smollett, the former star of “Empire” who ignited a firestorm in 2019 when he claimed to be the victim of a homophobic and racist assault, was convicted on Thursday of five counts of lying to the police about the incident. He was acquitted on a sixth charge.Smollett faced six counts of “disorderly conduct,” a Class 4 felony in Illinois — a relatively minor offense.

The jury in Jussie Smollett’s trial started deliberating Wednesday, after a prosecutor said there is “overwhelming evidence” that the former “Empire” actor lied to police about being the victim of an anti-gay, racist attack and his defence attorney said the charges are based on lies.

With the defense and the prosecution resting their respective cases earlier this week, closing arguments are set to begin Wednesday morning in the case against former "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett.  Smollett, who is Black and gay, is accused of staging a racist, homophobic hate crime against himself in downtown Chicago in January 2019.

CHICAGO -- Closing arguments are scheduled for Wednesday morning in the case against former “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett, who is accused of staging a racist, anti-gay attack against himself in downtown Chicago to get publicity.The jury is then expected to begin deliberating whether Smollett is guilty on six counts of a low-level felony for lying to Chicago police about the January 2019 attack.Taking the witness stand earlier this week, Smollett repeatedly denied the attack was a fake, telling

Outside the courtroom where former "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett is fighting charges accusing him of lying to Chicago police about being the victim of an anti-gay, racist attack, his publicist has introduced a roster of supporters to the assembled TV cameras. Renowned opera singer Lauren Michelle, who also appeared on "Empire," spoke of how one of her best friends from high school has maintained his humanity despite the attacks on his character.

Jussie Smollett, 39, admitted to knowing one of his alleged attackers and even being intimate with him, when he took the stand on Dec. 5 in his own defense.

Jussie Smollett said he had correspondence with CNN's Don Lemon during the early parts of the Chicago Police Department’s (CPD) investigation into the alleged hate crime attack for which Smollett is currently on trial defending himself against allegations he faked the entire ordeal.

Jussie Smollett took the stand at his trial on Monday to tell jurors his side of the story about a 2019 attack that police and prosecutors say was a hoax he orchestrated, but that his defense team insists was real.Legal experts are divided on whether Smollett’s testimony in his own defense could help or hurt his case.Smollett faces six counts of disorderly conduct, accused of staging a fake hate crime attack against himself, and then lying to police about it.Smollett, who is Black and gay, had

Jussie Smollett took the witness stand Monday at his trial where he is facing charges accusing him of staging a racist, anti-gay attack on himself and lying to Chicago police about it.

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