Jussie Smollett Trial Begins With Jury Selection Process

BYAron A.Updated on September 26, 20221236 Views

The jury selection process begins in the trial of Jussie Smollett who is accused of faking a hate crime against himself.

Jussie Smollett Trial Begins With Jury Selection Process — It's been a few years since Jussie Smollett was accused of faking a hate crime against himself. The Empire actor was ridiculed across the world after claiming that he had been attacked by two Trump supporters who tied a noose around his neck and yelled, "This is MAGA country." Smollett claimed to be the victim of a racist and homophobic attack.

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The trial is set to begin in the near future, as authorities aim to prosecute Smollett for falsifying a police report and lying to the police. Today, the jury selection process began. Per NBC Chicago, there have been several potential jurors who've been dismissed. 50 people were selected as potential jurors while 10 were dismissed. Jurors were being asked about their television habits and whether they're familiar with Empire and/or TMZ. One potential juror said that she didn't think she would be unbiased since she had previously researched this case.

Since being accused of staging the attack, Smollett has maintained his innocence. Judge James B. Linn emphasized to the potential jurors that all defendants, in this case, are innocent until proven guilty. Judge James B. Linn said that it was the "bedrock of our society."

Smollett is currently charged with six counts of disorderly conduct for allegedly lying to police and falsifying a police report.

We'll keep you posted on any further updates regarding the case.

[Via]

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Aron A.

Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.