Jussie Smollett pleads not guilty at Leighton Criminal Court Building, Thursday, March 14, 2019. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Pool / Chicago Tribune)
Former “Empire” star Jussie Smollett will stand trial on felony disorderly conduct charges this November, nearly three years after he allegedly orchestrated a hoax attack against himself outside his Streeterville apartment.
Cook County Judge James Linn on Tuesday said jury selection in the high-profile case will begin Nov. 29.
“So that will be our docketed trial date,” Linn said during the hearing, which was broadcast over Zoom.
The announcement came after discussions held away from the public eye Tuesday in Linn’s chambers between Smollett’s attorneys and special prosecutor Dan Webb’s legal team. Upon their return into the courtroom, Linn said the parties will tie up any “loose ends” during an Oct. 15 hearing date.
That includes a non-evidentiary hearing on a defense motion to dismiss the case and a ruling from Linn on whether he will allow extended media coverage of the trial.
Smollett was first arrested in February 2019 after he allegedly falsely claimed to police that he’d been attacked near his apartment by two men who yelled racist and homophobic slurs at him. Chicago police detectives eventually determined Smollett had arranged the incident himself, alleging he paid brothers Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo to help stage a fake attack.
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office dismissed those initial charges weeks later in a widely-scrutinized move, but Webb and his team were appointed to reinvestigate the case and brought renewed felony disorderly conduct charges against Smollett early last year.
The case has languished over the last several months due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on court operations. The sides in recent months have also repeatedly fought over defense attorney Nenye Uche’s ability to represent Smollett following allegations of a possible conflict of interest, though Linn has since ruled Uche can remain on the case.
Contact Matt Masterson: @ByMattMasterson | [email protected] | (773) 509-5431
