Lawyer: Attack on Smollett was real, brothers sought payoff

By DON BABWIN and SARA BURNETT
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — Jussie Smollett’s lawyer is suggesting an aspiring actor and his brother committed an anti-gay, racist attack against the former “Empire” actor because they didn’t like him, then tried to get Smollett to pay them each $1 million not to testify against him. Defense attorney Shay Allen on Thursday worked to cast doubt on Abimbola Osundairo’s earlier testimony that Smollett recruited him and his brother to stage a fake attack because he wanted the publicity. Osundairo testified that Smollett instructed him and his brother on how they should carry out the Jan. 29, 2019, hoax, telling him to deliver light punches and even to rub his knuckles hard on Smollett’s head. Smollett’s attorneys say he is the victim of a real attack.