Prosecutors said Jussie Smollett was caught on surveillance video performing a “runaway” the day before his alleged hate crime hoax took place.
At the start of his trial, prosecutors said that the video proved the actor had tampered with the January 29, 2019, alleged assault with two Nigerian brothers, Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo.
They also say that a message Jussie allegedly sent to the brothers after the attack proves that it was all a setup.
JUSSIE SMOLLETT ON INSTAGRAM LIVE
“Brother… .. I love you,” Smollett wrote to Abimbola Osundairo on February 14, 2019. “I stand with you. I know 10000% you and your brother did nothing wrong and never will. I’m making this statement for everyone else to know. They won’t get away with this. Hit me when they let you go. I am behind you completely. ”
The two brothers are testifying against the Empire actor during the trial. Jussie has always denied that he faked the attack.
Prosecutors say he paid the siblings $3,500 to help in the alleged hoax. The actor faces three years in prison if found guilty of staging the attack as a publicity stunt.
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