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Jussie Smollet - Horrible Hate Crime or Horrible Case of TDS?

I know, I know...Holy Thread Resurrection, Batman! But, it looks like the Juicy trial is finally getting going, after only three years since the original incident, and multiple spurts and sputters by the legal system. I am curious as hell as to what sort of defense his lawyers have come up with.

A little history on this story, for those who have forgotten:

Jussie Smollett's trial starts today. This is how we got here

(CNN) Jury selection starts Monday in the trial of former "Empire" star Jussie Smollett, who is accused of making false reports to authorities that he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack in 2019.

Smollett, 39, was indicted on six counts last year by a Cook County, Illinois, grand jury, but the actor has insisted on his innocence, repeatedly denying he orchestrated the attack. His attorney pleaded not guilty on his behalf. The six-count indictment -- the most recent twist in a case that gripped the nation from the start -- came after 16 felony disorderly conduct counts Smollett was previously facing were unexpectedly dropped.
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So many notable trials lately. I would also like to see an impeachment trial of the judge who decided not to allow cameras into this one. :mad:

I want to see how absurd the defense must be. They're sticking to the story that it was an actual attack.

lawandcrime.com

Jussie Smollett Was Caught on Video Staging 'Dry Run' of Alleged Hoax Hate Crime Attack: Prosecutors

Day two of the disorderly conduct trial against actor Jussie Smollett focused on what the prosecution hopes to be a key piece of evidence in their effort to convince a Chicago jury that he orchestrated an elaborate homophobic and racist hate crime hoax in order to gin up sympathy and ultimately...
lawandcrime.com lawandcrime.com
 
Jussie definitely needs to face repercussions for his actions. I personally consider it a hate crime against white people what he did (use the law as a tool to make anyone white living in the city a suspect of a hate crime for his personal gain). To have charges dropped like we're all supposed to just forget that was ridiculous.
 
Gospel said:
I personally consider it a hate crime against white people what he did (use the law as a tool to make anyone white living in the city a suspect of a hate crime for his personal gain).
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Assuming that the most current news is more accurate than the original reports,

Jussie Smollet did more damage to gay and black people than he did ordinary white folks. If he really did fake it, he provided solid evidence that hate crimes can be faked. And fake hate crimes will be taken seriously. So real hate crime victims will have to prove that they're not just another Jussie Smollet.
How do you do that?
Tom
 
TomC said:
If he really did fake it, he provided solid evidence that hate crimes can be faked. And fake hate crimes will be taken seriously.
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And found out, investigated, and prosecuted.

I'm still suspending judgement on the case personally, I trust neither the prosecution nor the defense with respect to what evidence has been presented, especially given the high visibility of and political tension surrounding the case.
 
Politesse said:
And found out, investigated, and prosecuted.
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This time.
Maybe.
If it happened.

What about all the other hate crimes, reported or not?

If Mr Smollet's lawyers successfully defend him, then what?
Do you claim to know what actually happened? I don't.

There is a grey area between Smollet made up everything and Smollet was attacked with a noose and bleach and such. I'm not claiming I know what really happened. I certainly don't trust modern "news" sources to get the facts right, much less be comprehensive and clear about them.

But if the evidence shows it most plausible that Smollet lied, he did a lot of damage to other real victims of hate crimes.
Tom
 
Closing arguments today. Still sounds like a glorified case of "he said, he said", where Smollet's claims seem exaggerated and unbelievable and he is demonstrably lying about not having known his attackers, but the star witnesses have obvious financial and legal reasons to lie as well, given that if no one believes their story they themselves would be the ones facing a hate crime prosecution. I mean, they apparently filmed themselves planning to savagely attack the defendant, so...

It's hard for me to take either of these testimonies at face value.
 
Guilty, but they say he'll probably get probation.

news.wttw.com

Jussie Smollett Guilty Verdict Latest in Polarizing Case

The jury convicted the 39-year-old on five counts of disorderly conduct — for each separate time he was charged with lying to police in the days after the alleged attack. He was acquitted on a sixth count.
news.wttw.com news.wttw.com
 
FGIZhtvXwAQLKTD
 
^that should go in the terrible memes hall of fame.
 
just_me said:
I'm an old school progressive. I'm not a liberal, because I hardly know what that means today. I was a carter man, when people like President Carter could still be voted in by those who consider themselves on the left. I'm a relic of a different age where we were still considered Americans first, instead of party first.

I remember when MLK was a man instead of a street name. I remember those marches and I remember the name Bull Conner. I remember the news reels and the water hoses and the dogs being held back by the police as they jumped at black people, who were simple trying to protest.

Jessie Smollett, in one self centered, self aggrandizing event, spat in the face of all those black people who came before him, who has ever felt the boot of bigotry and prejudice. He gave those who assume all the hatred is gone the ammo to shoot back at anyone who reports anything that can't be visually verified.

I think he did much worse than anything this Stone guy ever did and ever will, because JS did what he did against the plight of his own people.
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Wow, maybe you should write for Hollywood. How's about folks just not overblow an obviously idiotic move by an insignificant person? Let Juicy be investigated, charged, and sentenced (if guilty) while still telling the bigots to scram.

Thanks,
 
It’s pretty funny looking back at the reaction from the Hollywood luvvies etc, “an attempted modern day lynching” was put about. If anyone was ever taken in by this tall tale I have a bridge for sale they may be interested in.
 
Gospel said:
How's about folks just not overblow an obviously idiotic move by an insignificant person?
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It was really overblown by Dem politicians calling it a "lynching" and such ...
FGN0y_MUUAMqpAd.jpeg


Let Juicy be investigated, charged, and sentenced (if guilty)
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Oh, he is guilty.
while still telling the bigots to scram.
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On both sides, hopefully.

Speaking of bigots, this is Black Lives Matter statement (written by the racist and police abolitionist Melina Abdullah) on the Juicy case, written before the verdict came out.

Statement Regarding the Ongoing Trial of Jussie Smollett

Melina Abdullah said:
As abolitionists, we approach situations of injustice with love and align ourselves with our community. Because we got us. So let’s be clear: we love everybody in our community. It’s not about a trial or a verdict decided in a white supremacist charade, it’s about how we treat our community when corrupt systems are working to devalue their lives.
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So she claims this trial is somehow "white supremacist".
In our commitment to abolition, we can never believe police, especially the Chicago Police Department (CPD) over Jussie Smollett, a Black man who has been courageously present, visible, and vocal in the struggle for Black freedom.
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So, she believes a black man simply because he is black, no matter how much his story has been disproven.
Reminds me of radical feminists who believe women no matter what.
Black Lives Matter will continue to work towards the abolition of police and every unjust system.
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Nice of her to spell out the true end goals of #BLM this clearly and unambiguously.
 
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Lots of stupid people say and do stupid things (especially politicians) Derec. Where have you been?

Edit: For the record, I find myself agreeing with the points you make at times. But your presentation is like eating pineapple pizza, taking the good with the bad.
 
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Gospel said:
Lots of stupid people say and do stupid things (especially politicians) Derec. Where have you been?

Edit: For the record, I find myself agreeing with the points you make at times. But your presentation is like eating pineapple pizza, taking the good with the bad.
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This whole forum seems to largely be about pointing out stupid people in politics saying stupid things. The Twitter comments made by those above are worthy of a chuckle given how this saga played out. Especially when you look at the questionable details of the "crime" that were known from day one, these media and political knuckleheads should have used a little skepticism and critical thinking and kept their mouth shut for at least a few days. Instead they jump right into their virtue signaling and outrage, and now they have egg on their face. They should own up to it, and condemn Jussie's harmful little drama. But I doubt that will happen. I think Jussie is a troubled and selfish young man, given that he had almost 3 years to come clean, and he doubled down on his tall tale. He has cost the city of Chicago a lot of money, police resources and has helped to sow doubt on future real hate crimes to come.

I am troubled by BLM's position about abolishment of the police. The people who would be most harmed by this position are the POC living in high crime neighborhoods in inner cities. It's not what these residents want (surveys show this) and would make the current crime wave even worse. I don't know why anyone would support such an organization that claims to care about the lives of black people, but have stances that actually make things worse for them.
 
Look, slavery was abolished, however, people today (regardless of color) or working for what I consider slave wages. The abolishment of the police doesn't necessarily mean it will cease to exist in all forms. Yall really need to calm down that take on the call for abolishment. Number one, it's meant to incite emotional responses and get people talking which worked. Number two, a total overhaul of how law enforcement works would inherently be the abolishment of the current law enforcement as we know it.

I personally, know how important law enforcement is and consider myself on your side of the abolishment debate but I'm not going to ignore the problems within our law enforcement that cause a man in a wheelchair to get shot 9 god damn times.
 
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