CHICAGO – Jussie Smollett’s defense attorneys have rested their case in the former “Empire” actor’s trial on charges he lied to police about being the victim of a racist, anti-gay attack.
Smollett’s lawyer said Tuesday that the defense has finished, wrapping up two days of testimony that included Smollett’s own account of what happened in downtown Chicago the night of the alleged attack in January 2019. The 39-year-old denied he staged a fake attack for publicity or paid two brothers $3,500 to carry it out, saying “there was no hoax.”
Judge James Linn said the jury could begin deliberating on Wednesday.
