Open Thread: Jussie Smollett Verdict [Update: Guilty!]
[guest post by JVW]
A verdict has been reached in the Jussie Smollett hate crime hoax trial. I don’t know that it has been announced (as of 2:55 pm Pacific time) whether or not the court is going to come back into session this afternoon (it’s pushing 5:00 pm in Chicago) or wait until tomorrow morning.
In casually following the trial, my opinion that Smollett is indeed guilty has not changed, though I do think his defense may have done just enough to get an acquittal by proposing a highly implausible but not impossible narrative that he truly was attacked. It will be interesting to see what the jury has come to believe.
Feel free to discuss this trial and the verdict, when it is finally read.
UPDATE 3:08 pm: It looks like the verdict announcement is going to come today:
We are waiting for Jussie Smollett to return to the courthouse. So far no sign of him or his attorneys.
— Matt Finn (@MattFinnFNC) December 9, 2021
UPDATE 3:30 pm: Guilty! Congratulations to the jury for seeing through the defense’s balderdash.
UPDATE 3:35 pm: Guilty on five of the six charges relating to disorderly conduct for filing a false police report. It’s a Class Four Felony and he could be sentenced to as much as three years in prison and fined up to $25,000.
– JVW
The jury deliberated for two days.
JVW (ee64e4) — 12/9/2021 @ 2:56 pmBy the way, please limit this open thread to discussions on Jussie Smollett, his trial, hate crime hoaxes, etc. Let’s not make this a true open thread like we see on Fridays.
JVW (ee64e4) — 12/9/2021 @ 2:57 pmUPDATE 3:08 pm: It looks like the verdict announcement is going to come today:
JVW (ee64e4) — 12/9/2021 @ 3:10 pm5 guilty; 1 not guilty.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 12/9/2021 @ 3:23 pmA regular Morton Downey, Jr.
But hey, Faker Jim Bakker did time and got a show back on the TeeVee, too.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 12/9/2021 @ 3:27 pmUPDATE 3:30 pm: Guilty! Congratulations to the jury for seeing through the defense’s balderdash.
JVW (ee64e4) — 12/9/2021 @ 3:32 pmThis crime was committed a long time ago, now all of a sudden the court wants someone to be on time? Just do some time.
mg (8cbc69) — 12/9/2021 @ 3:35 pmUPDATE 3:35 pm: Guilty on five of the six charges relating to disorderly conduct for filing a false police report. It’s a Class Four Felony and he could be sentenced to as much as three years in prison and fined up to $25,000.
JVW (ee64e4) — 12/9/2021 @ 3:36 pmIt’s a Class Four Felony and he could be sentenced to as much as three years in prison and fined up to $25,000.
The only time I have seen it is when a woman reported her car stolen in order to get the attention of her boyfriend who was driving it with her permission and the police almost shot him. Community service is more likely.
nk (1d9030) — 12/9/2021 @ 3:41 pm5 guilt and 1 non guilty. Should be interesting to follow up on any media types who deliver a mia culpa… then there’s these two twits:
“What happened today to @JussieSmollett must never be tolerated in this country. We must stand up and demand that we no longer give this hate safe harbor; that homophobia and racism have no place on our streets or in our hearts. We are with you, Jussie.” https://t.co/o8ilPu68CM
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) January 30, 2019
Has this guy EVER gotten anything right??? A broken clock has a better record of being correct.
… and Putin smiled.
_________
“@JussieSmollett is one of the kindest, most gentle human beings I know. I’m praying for his quick recovery. This was an attempted modern day lynching. No one should have to fear for their life because of their sexuality or color of their skin. We must confront this hate.”
– Kamala Harris, Jan. 29, 2019
Idiots.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 12/9/2021 @ 3:42 pmSpare a kind thought and earnest prayer for Kim Foxxxxx (I’m upgrading her to five “x”s on her name in honor of the five guilty counts for Mr. Smollett).
JVW (ee64e4) — 12/9/2021 @ 3:47 pmCommunity service is more likely.
Given the fact that police testified that they spent 3,000 man-hours investigating this case (and yeah, I know the padding that almost assuredly goes into 3,000 man-hours in Chicago), do you suppose he’ll also be socked with the maximum $25,000 fine? Would the city of Chicago have the ability to pursue restitution in civil court?
JVW (ee64e4) — 12/9/2021 @ 3:49 pmKim Foxx’s office originally nolle prossed the case, the fix being in. But it didn’t take. The fix I mean. A retired judge brought a petition for a special prosecutor, Kim Foxx slunk off, and the Circuit Court appointed former US Attorney Dan Webb to prosecute Smollett.
nk (1d9030) — 12/9/2021 @ 3:54 pmThough Al Sharpton was her spokesperson, Tawana Brawley was unavailable for comment.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 12/9/2021 @ 3:54 pmWould the city of Chicago have the ability to pursue restitution in civil court?
I don’t know about the ability part, but the City has been suing Smollett for as long as the criminal case has been going on. I think the figure they’re looking at is around $150,000.
nk (1d9030) — 12/9/2021 @ 3:59 pmCommunity service will amount to acting classes.
mg (8cbc69) — 12/9/2021 @ 4:00 pmThe rehearsal tape has been released:
https://twitter.com/DJcalligraphy/status/1468787076799684608
BuDuh (4a7846) — 12/9/2021 @ 4:18 pmGood call by the jury. I hope he spends some decent time in jail.
Paul Montagu (5de684) — 12/9/2021 @ 4:20 pmI will bet that he spends no time in jail. This is really the kind of crime that the stocks were designed for.
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 12/9/2021 @ 5:11 pmAnd, just like that, my boycott of the city of Chicago comes to an end, although it might get reinstated if Smollett does no time.
With apologies to nk and urbanleftbehind, whom I’d really love to meet if I’m ever in Chicago.
norcal (21e823) — 12/9/2021 @ 5:36 pmThis has been one strange case.
You guys know who Dan Webb is, right? He prosecuted Poindexter in Iran-Contra. He put away half the Circuit Court of Cook County (ok, maybe less than half) in Operation Greylord. He prosecuted Mayor Richard M. Daley’s nephew for manslaughter. He defended George Ryan, and Manafort’s partner. And that’s just scratching the surface. Bringing him in to prosecute a B-lister for lying to the police is like deploying the Strategic Air Command against the St. Mary’s girls field hockey team (and that’s paying a compliment to the Strategic Air Command) (and Jussie Smollett too, those plaid-skirted cookies should not be taken lightly, but you know what I mean).
And then the names involved. Michelle Obama. Her lawyer and gofer. The Cook County Board President. Her protege, Kim Foxx. The Mayor of Chicago. Her former Police Superintendent.
And all just to prove that the dumbass couldn’t act to save his life? Uh-uh! It simply does not compute.
nk (1d9030) — 12/9/2021 @ 5:43 pmAnd all just to prove that the dumbass couldn’t act to save his life? Uh-uh! It simply does not compute.
In Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Hunter S. Thompson goes on a disquisition about all of the sin and vice which is permissible, even encouraged, in Sin City. But he warns the reader that there is one ironclad rule in Vegas: Don’t burn the locals. (This same concept is illustrated in the Nick Pileggi book and Martin Scorsese movie Casino.) I’m sure the same rule exists in the Windy City. Jussie Smollett burned all of those people you named above, nk, and that’s why they are nailing his d— to a tree.
JVW (ee64e4) — 12/9/2021 @ 5:59 pmI think you’re right, JVW.
nk (1d9030) — 12/9/2021 @ 6:15 pm@22. JVW/nk- believe you’re both right, too. The thespian thought he could play’em like just another audience. But live stage theater ain’t TeeVee or film, where you can do retakes and edits on life.
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 12/9/2021 @ 7:09 pmOn further thought, I will hedge on the sentence. Smollett lied on the stand. That’s bad. So there might be some custodial sentence imposed.
nk (1d9030) — 12/9/2021 @ 7:58 pm@25. Costanza 101: “It’s not a lie…if you believe it.” 😉
DCSCA (f4c5e5) — 12/9/2021 @ 9:08 pmGays are a hated minority. many kill themselves. Others go crazy or drug addicts. He will be a joke for the rest of his life Also racism like bubba wallace because someone not bubba found something that looked like a noose. The life of wendell scott is a testimony to racism.
asset (dd431b) — 12/9/2021 @ 10:12 pmMeanwhile, back in Washington….
Just when you thought that things could not get worse for Kamala Harris, Peggy Noonan puts the knife in:
That’s the good news. The problem is that she is now in a situation where the party-run press of the ridiculous state of California is not presenting her “words” to the self-involved people of the state. She now has to actually talk to people who will listen and write about what she says, not just bolt the press releases from her office into their stories. So …
Shorter: They have bullsh1t detectors in DC.
And here we have it, finally, the Jusse Smollett connection. Kamala Harris is being attacked by MAGA wearing racists!
There’s more, and none of it is good for Harris. She may be the first VP since Agnew who has to resign. This time for her inadequacy for the job of Vice President, which is kind of terrible.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/kamala-harris-needs-to-get-serious-biden-administration-competency-approval-rating-polling-11639093358 (possible paywall)
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 12/9/2021 @ 11:54 pmOne of my favorite journalists, Dexter Filkins, tells a compelling tale about Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. If that name sounds unfamiliar and super long and clunky, yes, to me also, and maybe it’s because of that long clunky name that we don’t hear about her more, that she stood up against Lukashenko, running against him for the presidency of Belarus, and then was expelled from the country so that Lukanshenko could keep his grasp.
Paul Montagu (5de684) — 12/10/2021 @ 12:16 amMs. Tsikhanouskaya is a remarkable woman, and I have to cut-and-paste her name rather than type it out so as to not muss it up.
Lukashenko is basically a Putin tool, made all the more apparent by the post-election crackdown.
Why did this ever go to trial? Why was there no one count plea bargain, for a fine and probation, maybe community service?
The libertarian, but not Libertarian, Dana (ae0ea3) — 12/10/2021 @ 5:22 amApparently there just aren’t enough real hate crimes if the left has to fake them.
The libertarian, but not Libertarian, Dana (ae0ea3) — 12/10/2021 @ 5:24 amI’m guessing there won’t be a follow-up interview between RJK Jr. and Mr. Hitt. This one didn’t go well.
Paul Montagu (5de684) — 12/10/2021 @ 6:32 am@30, I think this went to trial because Smollet is a narcissist. I think he was obviously guilty and I’m glad he was convicted. I expect. He’ll insist that he wasn’t really guilty in the future.
Time123 (8cc1ce) — 12/10/2021 @ 6:54 am@31, Hate crime isn’t zero, https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/state-news/two-illinois-prisoners-charged-with-beating-jewish-prisoner-to-death-in-hate-crime-attack/
But this doesn’t involve Jesse Smollet so he likely doesn’t care.
Time123 (8cc1ce) — 12/10/2021 @ 6:54 amKevin M —
No way Harris resigns. Absolutely none. She’s the deciding vote in a 50-50 senate, which means any departure loses the Democrats that body until they get a new VP. Which the Senate has to confirm.
If you are a Democrat, you don’t deal McConnell that kind of poker hand. Not even if you are Biden.
Appalled (1a17de) — 12/10/2021 @ 6:56 amWhy did this ever go to trial? Why was there no one count plea bargain, for a fine and probation, maybe community service?
There was, but even there they all, and I mean everybody, had their heads up their asses. All the “Sheesh!”es in more or less chronological order:
— Tina Tchen, Michelle Obama’s former chief staff and now an attorney in Chicago, got on Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx’s back, trying to steer the investigation while it was still being investigated by the police as a real crime. Sheesh!
— When that was revealed once the CPD determined it was a hoax, Kim Foxx recused herself personally from the case but not her Office. Sheesh!
— Kim Foxx’s First Assistant brought in a 16-count indictment! Sheesh!
— Kim Foxx publicly scolded him for it. Sheesh!
— Smollett could not stand the suspense, so he had his lawyers advance the case to a non-scheduled date on an emergency motion for what might be called a plea conference. Sheesh!
— The plea conference resulted in a deal that would nolle prosequi the case on the spot but Smollett would forfeit his $10,000 bail and do some community service. Nolle prosequi means the case is dropped like it was never brought. Sheesh! to the nth power!
A plea of nolo contendere and a sentence of one year’s non-reporting supervision would have made the whole thing legal, binding on the State, and left Smollett with a clean record. Supervision means no conviction. What they did was nonsense, and it left the door open for a new indictment, and a couple of old white men, Special Prosecutor Dan Webb and Judge James Linn, to put an end to the circus.
nk (1d9030) — 12/10/2021 @ 7:21 amBut wait, there’s more! The guilty verdicts now make the civil suit by the City of Chicago an accounting procedure. There will be summary judgment on liability and all the City will need to do is prove up the cost of the investigation.
nk (1d9030) — 12/10/2021 @ 7:37 amA Cook Countian wrote:
So, you’re saying that Mr Smollett’s “people” were just as stupid as he is, right?
A whole lot of people would like to see him do some jail time. I’m not confident that that’ll happen, seeing probation as the more likely outcome, but even a week behind bars might be enough for the other potential fakers to see that, if caught, they just might not get away with it.
The libertarian, but not Libertarian, Dana (ae0ea3) — 12/10/2021 @ 7:41 amWhile there’s always room for error, this website gives the esteemed Mr Smollett’s net worth as $1.5 million. I wonder how much of that he’s going to waste on appeal.
The libertarian, but not Libertarian, Dana (ae0ea3) — 12/10/2021 @ 7:44 am@38 It’s not the people’s job to tell the great Smollet “no”. That probably doesn’t go over well.
Time123 (914b8b) — 12/10/2021 @ 7:48 amOT: Supremes dismiss US V Texas as improvidentially granted, allow Texas crowd-sourced abortion law to continue, but allow federal courts to consider a pre-enforcement injunction against TX regulatory boards regarding ancillary enforcement of SB 8, while denying pre-enforcement action against other actors for several reasons.
Whole Woman’s Health v. Jackson
8-1 in concurance with judgment, some parts 5-4. The CJ may not be on board in Dobbs.
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 12/10/2021 @ 7:53 amFrom SCOTUSblog liveblog (Amy Howe):
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 12/10/2021 @ 7:55 am@42: Who can read?
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 12/10/2021 @ 7:57 amHe’ll insist that he wasn’t really guilty in the future.
It wasn’t a crime-crime.
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 12/10/2021 @ 7:58 amNo way Harris resigns. Absolutely none. She’s the deciding vote in a 50-50 senate
Until Jan, 2023, unless “someone” flips earlier. Or someone (e.g. Bernie) leaves office suddenly.
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 12/10/2021 @ 8:04 amBuDuh (4a7846) — 12/10/2021 @ 7:55 am
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 12/10/2021 @ 8:11 amI wonder if all the Hollywood people that demanded Trump address this and condemn it really want him to now.
steveg (e81d76) — 12/10/2021 @ 8:18 amI do not now, and will not in the future, demand that Donald Trump address a damn thing, save his retirement from public life.
Kevin M (ab1c11) — 12/10/2021 @ 8:20 am3000 Hours of Chicago PD is only worth $150,000? $50HR probaky doesn’t cover wage, WComp and medical. Much less pension liabilities and overhead items like fuel, phones, etc. I’d be shocked if the real cost per HR to the citizens isn’t above $125
steveg (e81d76) — 12/10/2021 @ 8:29 am#46
I assume the senate goes GOP in 2022, as things stand now. That keeps Harris in place. (Why would the GOP confirm a replacement? Particulalrly if the Speaker is Republican.)
If the Dems actually do well in 2022, then the need to get Harris out of there probably has gone away.
Appalled (1a17de) — 12/10/2021 @ 8:38 amKevin:
“I do not now, and will not in the future, demand that Donald Trump address a damn thing, save his retirement from public life.”
I agree (but I have to admit that I like a good trainwreck and a good bunch of ginned up outrage)
steveg (e81d76) — 12/10/2021 @ 10:29 amWaiting for you to put something up on supreme court ruling to keep this thread clean.
asset (4e41fb) — 12/10/2021 @ 12:31 pm