The Jussie Smollett saga continues … and not in a good way.
We reported earlier our condolences to Smollett for being a kind soul that didn’t deserve what happened to him. The latest twist in his case is that there may not be an actual case to begin with.
It’s being reported that Smollett paid two brothers, Ola and Abel Osundairo, to stage the attack that occurred on January 29.
What’s even stranger is that one brother, Ola, was an extra on Empire. The other was allegedly Smollett’s personal trainer.
The two brothers were initially arrested but were released without charges. They were set to testify against Smollett Tuesday, but a call from Smollett’s defense team ended up postponing the testimony. No word yet on what his lawyers said that was so compelling to delay a possible indictment of Smollett.
If (key word – if) Smollett falsified a police report, he’s facing felony charges that carry one to three years in prison. There could be additional time if he’s found guilty of mail fraud for the suspected threatening letter which he allegedly received prior to the attack.
We’re all here hoping he didn’t deceive the public, especially to this extent. If he’s guilty, it makes it harder for actual victims of hate crimes to step forward. If he’s innocent, there should be compensation for all this horrible media coverage.
This tweet sums up everything we feel –
If #JussieSmollett lied, it was wrong & I hope he gets the help he needs.
As for me—I believe deeds are judged by intentions & My intention always is to combat hate. Therefore, at a time of record high hate crimes—I have 0 regrets on working to stop hate. End of story.
2/2— Qasim Rashid, Esq. (@MuslimIQ) February 17, 2019
