Smollett told jurors he had just returned from a trip and was walking home after buying a sandwich when someone yelled to him about the TV show then shouted a racist, homophobic remark. Smollett said he was angry and turned around to confront the person, who he said towered over him.
Smollett said he assumed the person who attacked him was white because he used a racial slur and shouted it was “MAGA country,” an apparent reference to then-President Donald Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again.” The brothers, Abimbola and Olabingo Osundairo, who are Black, testified last week that Smollett instructed them to yell “this is MAGA country” during the fake assault.
Smollett also testified he wrote the $3,500 check for nutrition and training advice from Abimbola Osundairo while he was going to be out of town. Asked by his defense attorney if he gave Osundairo payment for some kind of hoax, Smollett replied: “Never.”He also said “absolutely not” when asked if he gave Osundairo and his brother $100 to pay for supplies for the fake attack.
Defense attorneys have suggested the Osundairo brothers were motivated to accuse Smollett of staging the hoax because they disliked him and then saw an opportunity to make money. They suggested that after the brothers were questioned by police about the alleged attack, they asked Smollett for $1 million each to not testify against him at trial.
Smollett testified that he met Abimbola’s brother, Olabingo, but that they didn’t speak and “he kind of freaked me out.” He said Abimbola Osundairo made it seem like they needed to “sneak off” when they were together around his brother. Smollett said he never trusted Olabingo Osundairo.studio’s response to hate mail he received. The letter including a drawing of a stick figure hanging by a noose, with a gun pointed at it, and the word “MAGA.
wow
Pathetic
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