A detective who investigated the actor Jussie Smollett’s hate crime report took the stand on Tuesday, taking jurors through the steps investigators took to conclude that Mr.
Smollett had orchestrated the attack, including securing surveillance footage and ride-share data that helped identify the two brothers at the center of the case.
The brothers, Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo, have told police that Mr. Smollett orchestrated a fake assault in which the Osundairos beat him while yelling racist and homophobic slurs, poured bleach on him and put a rope around his neck.
The Osundairos have emerged as the critical witnesses in a case that will largely rely on their credibility. The defense team attacked that credibility in its questioning of.