Lawyer: Case against Smollett based on testimony of ‘liars’

By DON BABWIN and SARA BURNETT
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — Jussie Smollett’s defense attorney says charges against the former “Empire” actor rely on the testimony of brothers who are “sophisticated liars” and “the worst type of criminals.” Nenye Uche said during his closing argument Wednesday that prosecutors’ case against Smollett is “built like a house of cards.” Smollett is charged with staging a racist, anti-gay attack against himself in January 2019 and lying to Chicago police about it. Prosecutor Dan Webb told jurors that there’s “overwhelming” evidence against Smollett. The jury is to begin deliberating later Wednesday. On the stand, Smollett has repeatedly denied the attack was a fake, telling a prosecutor “there was no hoax on my part” and that two brothers who testified against him are “liars.”