The Jussie Smollett saga just took yet another strange turn
TMZ, Smollett’s lawyers have filed an 83-page motion claiming his constitutional rights were violated when the court prevented his legal team from actively participating in jury selection.Related: Juror in Smollett trial reveals what convinced them of actor’s guiltNews of the filing comes a couple of days after Cook County’s Judge James Linn said that Smollett would be sentenced March 10, and that he was allowing cameras to be present at the sentencing.In his new filing, Smollett points to his lawyers not being allowed to ask questions of potential jurors at his original trial to establish “questionable impartiality”.
He also claims the prosecution showed a pattern of racism in selecting jurors, and that the judge wrongfully barred the media and public from the courtroom.The documents claim the prosecutors provided evidence, “insufficient and inconsistent so that no reasonable trier of fact could have found Mr.
Smollett guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and thus there is evidence that the jury verdict was contrary to the manifest weight of the evidence.”Smollett’s now asking for a new trial or a not guilty verdict.Related: Brother in Smollett case denies homophobia, says he worked at gay club and PrideSmollett’s case dates back to January 2019, when he says he was assaulted whilst out late one night in Chicago.
He said the attackers used racial and homophobic slurs against him and put a noose around his neck.Police later arrested brothers Abimbola and Olabingo Osundairo.
