Is it wrong to call the Jussie Smollett trial the best comedy in years? Because if it is, we’d like to know what else out there beats this.
We’ll save you the trouble and tell you right now that nothing beats this.
#JussieSmollett is retaking the witness stand now.
— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 7, 2021
Like, the defense team has been special, but they’ve got nothing on Smollett himself:
Special pros. Dan Webb picks up where he left off. video of Smollett picking up brothers at their home in Lakeview and then driving near scene of attack.
Brothers testify the trip was a dry-run of the attack.
Smollett says he picked brothers up to drive around and smoke weed
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) December 7, 2021
Prosecutor Dan Webb is resuming his slightly folksy questioning, getting Jussie to admit that he drove around Lakeview with the Osundairo brothers, but deny that he recruited them in the hoax attack during the ride.
— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 7, 2021
Webb asks if Smollett recruited Ola for the attack:
Smollett: "As I have said for the past three years I deny that. That never happened."
"To answer all your questions about the hoax I am going to deny. There was no hoax."
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) December 7, 2021
Smollett is answering in clipped tones. Leaning into the microphone as he says,"That’s what I said, yes." When asked about any hoax planning, he says "Absolutely not. That never happened."
— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 7, 2021
Smollett drove from Lakeview to Streeterville with Brothers. Smollett says plan was to workout.
Special prosecutor: Were you so stoned that you didn't get out of your car to workout?
Smollett denies that he was too high but says he didn't want to work out with Ola.
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) December 7, 2021
Webb is working to an important point. If Smollett had picked up Abel to go workout, as he's testified, why did Ola get in the car, why did they drive all the way to Streeterville and just turn around and go back to the Osundairos' home?
— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 7, 2021
Smollett admits he drove past staircase where reported attack occurred 3-4 times (it's on video)
Smollett said that was not unusual for him to drive around and smoke weed.
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) December 7, 2021
Q: You got so stoned that you decided when you got to Streeterville you were too stoned to work out?
Smollett sounds slightly annoyed by the question. "No," he answers. "I've worked out many times high on weed. It certainly wasn't that."— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 7, 2021
Smollett says it was "weird" that Ola was with them and he had an interview set up so he decided to just scrap the workout plan.
He seems impatient with Webb's repeated questions about whether he's denying planning the hoax.— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 7, 2021
Special prosecutor presses Smollett and refers to the staircase where Smollett said the attack happened.
Smollett sounds impatient and chimes in.
“The intersection where the attack *did occur”
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) December 7, 2021
Webb shows surveillance video of Smollett's car circling the area where the attack occurred.
"You mean the intersection directly across from my garage?" Smollett retorts.
Webb tries to get him to agree he went past three times.
"I can’t tell you how many times it was," he says.— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 7, 2021
Webb: Do you have any reason to disagree with police testimony that you passed by the intersection three times?
Smollett: I don’t know. I circled around the block.
Webb: How long were you there?
Smollett: Well you have the surveillance, you have to tell me. It was three years ago— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 7, 2021
Webb now asking Smollett about the calls he made to Abel the night of the reported attack.
Smollett says the two were supposed to train that night and they talked because Smollett's flight was late
Webb asks if the calls were to coordinate fake attack.
Smollett denies
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) December 7, 2021
Now, Smollett and Webb are arguing about Instagram.
"With all due respect Mr. Webb, you do not understand Instagram."-Smollett
Smollett messaged Abel Osundairo on Instagram upon landing in Chicago.
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) December 7, 2021
Webb asks Smollett about Instagram messages sent to Osundairo from NYC.
A: Mr. Webb, all due respect you don’t understand Instagram.
Webb: Look at me. I’m old. I don’t understand Instagram. Just answer my question.
Smollett accuses Webb of "misrepresenting" things to the jury— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 7, 2021
Testy back and forth going on here, with Webb interrupting Smollett and asking the judge to strike his answers as non-responsive. Judge Linn tells Smollett to listen to the question and don't ad lib. This is all over whether the Instagram messages were public or sent only to Bola
— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 7, 2021
Webb shows him the next Instagram message: This is the second time you updated him about your flight status?
Smollett: Out of context, yes sir
Webb: I’m sorry, what?
A: Yes
Webb: Did you answer yes?
Smollett: Yes— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 7, 2021
Webb walking through private Instagram messages Smollett sent to Abel the night of reported attack. Smollett provides at least 4-updates on his flight status (which was delayed)
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) December 7, 2021
Webb reads a text from Smollett with the word "nigga" and Smollett stops him and asks him not to say it out loud, "out of respect for every African American in the courtroom."
Webb apologizes, says why don't you read it instead. "Apology accepted but that’s been used a lot."— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 7, 2021
Another update message to Bola with the N-word. Webb says, "Why don you read it? I don’t want to mispronounce anything."
Smollett reads the text in question: "N—- finally made it just landed haha"
Smollett was attacked less than two hours later.— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 7, 2021
We are now on to the attack. Webb asks if he's denying that Smollett told Osundairo to do it right at the intersection near his building at 2 a.m.
Smollett: I’m saying that that’s a bold faced lie, yes.
You just happened to be there?
A: It's difficult to answer with a yes or no— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 7, 2021
What is “yes” and what is “no,” really?
Smollett says he went out for eggs at Walgreens at https://t.co/hdiJiJht4c in his neighborhood.
Webb says in the 2 years living in that apartment has Walgreens ever been 24/7?
Smollett said he was under the impression all drug stores were 24/7.
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) December 7, 2021
Webb and Smollett now squabbling over whether he really believed the Walgreens was open 24 hours.
Smollett: How would I know that, Mr. Webb? I was not frequenting Walgreens in the morning for eggs. …I’m under the impression that drug stores are 24 hours.— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 7, 2021
Webb: Wouldn't you know that your neighborhood Walgreens wasn't 24/7?
Smollett says Abel wanted him to buy eggs for his workout plan
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) December 7, 2021
Webb asked Smollett why didn't you just stop for eggs in a car on your way home from the airport.
Smollett said his tires was sliding and he just wanted to get home and plan was to go to the Walgreens by his apartment
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) December 7, 2021
Jussie just needed some eggs, man.
The entire tone of this cross is 180 degrees from yesterday. Smollett is on the defensive, annoyed. Webb keeps pressing him about the eggs. Smollett launches into a lengthy answer about diet and cleanses and such.
Webb: "Sir do you even remember what my question was?"— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 7, 2021
“Do you even remember what my question was?” Oh. Em. Gee.
Webb asks if there were any messages with Osundairo mentioning a workout the night of the attack.
Smollett: No, but there’s also no messages about an attack and I’m on trial for an attack that I didn't do.
Webb moves again to strike as non-responsive.— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 7, 2021
When Linn directs Smollett to answer the question, Jussie turns to the judge and says "I’m just concerned about answering yes or no."
"Please, please," Linn says. "It’s the same for all witnesses, it’s not personal to you. The lawyer asks questions, you answer them."— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 7, 2021
Guys. Is this not gold?
Webb: Are you testifying to the jury now that the two people who attacked you were the Osundairo Brothers
"No , I don’t know that".."there’s no way for me to know that Mr. Webb."-Smollett
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) December 7, 2021
Webb: Didn't you recognize Bola's voice when he yelled out "Empire n—–" during the attack?
Smollett: In that moment, I’m not going to stop and say hey Bola is that you? It was an attack. It happened fast.— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 7, 2021
Webb: Do you doubt the Osundairo brothers' testimony that they're the ones seen on surveillance?
Smollett: I doubt every word that they say.
Webb: So is that them?
Smollett: I just don’t know. They’re liars, so.. they also said I had something to do with it and that’s not true.— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 7, 2021
Now, Webb getting into the GMA interview.
Surv picture of community alert was shown to Smollett in interview.Webb: Did you tell Robin Roberts you were certain those were your attacks?
Smollett: "I said I didn't have any doubt."
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) December 7, 2021
Smollett seems exasperated when asked if he testified his attackers "sounded" white.
"I never would say that they acted or sounded white." He says he made the "assumption" that they were.
"That would be racist to say that someone acted white or sounded white."— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 7, 2021
Yes, that would be racist. Just as it would be racist to falsely accuse white people of a crime they did not commit in order to paint yourself as a hate crime victim.
Webb still questioning Smollett on his description of one of his attackers as white. Smollett acknowledges he later changed that to "pale."
"I didn’t want to make the assumption that they were white. So I said let me change that and just say that they were pale skinned."— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 7, 2021
Smollett said it was the "responsible thing" to change his description. "They could’ve been a white person, they could have been a pale someone else."
Webb: Did you say 'white' to get more attention?
Smollett: You'd have to ask someone who actually did a fake hate crime.— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 7, 2021
Dead. We’re dead. May we Rest in Peace.
Very subtle but important point raised by Webb in all of
this: After all their supposed planning over this delayed workout, there wasn't a single text message or call between Smollett and Osundairo the morning after the attack saying it had to be canceled.— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 7, 2021
Smollett upset after Webb asks him if "getting a few bruises" was really a big blow to his career.
"Mr. Webb, I have a scar under my eye that looks like a bag for the rest of my life," as well as a "black circle" on his face, Smollett retorts. "It’s absolutely a problem."— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 7, 2021
How can he possibly be the black Cary Grant now?
Webb now Shows Smollett a still image of how the actor looked during GMA interview. Webb arguing that the cuts/injuries were not noticeable two weeks after attack.
Smollett said he was in make-up/good lighting and that he still has scarring and bruising from attack.
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) December 7, 2021
Webb then shows Smollett an image of him from the Robin Roberts interview a couple weeks after the attack. Smollett asks Webb if he knows what a Hollywood interview is like and that he was in makeup that "makes me look much better."
Webb's just letting him take the bait.— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 7, 2021
Jussie Smollett’s the fish that keeps going for the hook even after being thrown into the water.
Smollett testified that he took the rope off his neck and then put it back on before police arrived.
Webb:
Did you tell her [Robin Roberts] in that interview that you kept rope on and your clothes on the entire time?Smollett: I did.
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) December 7, 2021
short break..It appears Prosecutors are wrapping up.
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) December 7, 2021
Special prosecutor Dan Webb is done with his cross.
Smollett defense back for re-direct. pic.twitter.com/Mt6C8vi5zo
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) December 7, 2021
Straight into our veins.
Smollett explaining the in's and out's of Instagram stories for the jury…again…..
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) December 7, 2021
Defense attorney Nenye Uche makes the point that other people on Instagram were privately messaging with Smollett–not just the brothers the night of the attack and CPD did not show Smollett/the jury the subpoena of conversations from anyone else but brothers.
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) December 7, 2021
Uche trying to show that Smollett was not giving the brothers updates on his whereabouts the night of the attack.
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) December 7, 2021
Uche brings up testimony from Northwestern Doctor confirming that Smollett's injuries were real and tests were ordered for his injuries.
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) December 7, 2021
We are back at the community alert of image. Brothers say it was them.
Uche: Could you tell who those two individuals were?
Smollett: no
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) December 7, 2021
But they could have very easily been pale white guys!
Smollett testifies that Osundairo brothers asked for $2 Million to "go away."
Smollett tells jury brothers were willing to say they had no part in hoax for the money.
Smollett says no money was ever paid.
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) December 7, 2021
Uche is done.
Re-cross
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) December 7, 2021
And ’round and ’round we go.
LMAO. This dude is something else https://t.co/KVEklGAUEO
— Betty And The Jets (@HatPeople) December 7, 2021
this is all gold https://t.co/eVGHN9SwKx
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) December 7, 2021
Gold, Jerry. Gold.