Jussie Smollett has been found guilty of staging a hate crime hoax.
A Chicago jury found Jussie Smollett guilty on five counts of felony disorderly conduct on Thursday. Although the verdict didn’t go his way, he was acquitted of a sixth disorderly conduct charge.
Jurors reached a verdict on their second day of deliberations. The trial began last week.
Jussie Smollett was convicted of class 4 felonies, which means he could be sentenced to up to three years behind bars. He previously had a clean criminal record, making it highly unlikely he’ll face the maximum sentence.
The Empire star was on trial for falsely reporting an alleged hate crime in 2019. Jussie Smollett told police he was the victim of a racist, homophobic attack in Chicago.
Two brothers, Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo, said Smollett paid them $3,500 to stage the fake attack. According to their testimony, the brothers were told to rough him up and put a noose around his neck.
Jussie Smollett insisted the Osundairos were lying. He claimed the money was for meal and workout plans from Abimbola.
During testimony, the disgraced actor claimed their version of events was “100 percent false.” Prosecutors accused him of perjury.
The jury’s verdict bolsters the perjury accusations. Multiple legal experts note it could play a factor in the judge’s sentencing.
