Jussie Smollett was in court today, two days before his scheduled hearing on Thursday. The purpose of this hearing was to respond to a request by press to allow cameras in the courtroom.
Let There Be Cameras!
Judge LeRoy Martin Jr. ruled that cameras will be allowed in the courtroom Thursday for Jussie Smollett’s arraignment for filing a false police report in an alleged hate crime hoax. Jussie Smollett has been indicted on 16 felony counts of disorderly conduct/filing a false police report.
Judge Martin agreed to one still camera and one video camera at Thursday’s hearing. However, at the arraignment the case will be assigned to a trial judge. That judge will decide if he or she will allow cameras in the courtroom for the actual trial.
Since Jussie Smollett’s attorneys don’t object to the cameras, it is likely but not guaranteed that cameras will be allowed.
Cameras Aren’t A Sure Thing Though
After the hearing, Glandian gave the following statement to the multitudes of press.
“There has been a lot of misinformation in this case that has been presented as fact and evidence against Mr. Smollett which is demonstrably false,” Glandian later told reporters. “We welcome cameras in the courtroom so that the public and the media can see the actual evidence — and what we believe is actually going to be the lack of evidence — against Mr. Smollett and we look forward to complete transparency and the truth coming out.”
So, my lovely trial watchers, it might be too early to pop the popcorn, but trust and believe I will be on this. I feel like a plea deal is possible. But if there is any station with gavel to gavel coverage, I’ll be pissing off all the rest of my readers by recapping it live. At least it won’t be as long as the Jodi Arias trials. Those are still my favorite posts I’ve ever written on this site. I miss watching trials with you guys. I still say station should do nothing but live trials. I’d never watch anything else.
I can’t see what happens at Jussie Smollett’s arraignment. I need live coverage of that, so if any of you find a live feed for Thursday, let me know in comments.
Season five of Empire returns to air after the season five hiatus tomorrow night on FOX. Fox has not made a decision on renewing the show for a sixth season. Jussie Smollett may have screwed everyone out of a job.
I hope there are cameras and he DAMN well better not of screwed me out of one of my favorite shows!!!!
Sure let’s have cameras, it’s a sideshow anyway…
Our entire country is a sideshow ?
Still in awe that this guy would sacrifice EVERYTHING for such a dumb stunt. I look forward to your coverage.
Dang, wish I knew about you when you were doing the Jody Arias play by plays. I can only imagine!!
Some of them are still worth reading. I promise!
These links to past posts are gold. Makes insomnia almost worth it.
You know Geragos never found a camera he didn’t like, so that bodes well for a televised trial. I miss watching trials too. When I lived in the States I loved watching Court Tv and fortunately after I came home to Australia all the big ones (Casey Anthony, Jodi Arias) made their way onto YouTube. I could watch Jussie’s behaviour for hours. He is quite fascinating.
Geragos never defended a client that wasn’t guilty! ?
I saw one comedy channel say he came strutting in there like George Jefferson with his mirrored shades! (I’d have loved to have seen Jodi Arias too and Scott Peterson! His sister was just on Dr Phil! I’m really looking forward to TT coverage of the trial! Rumor Empire isn’t being renewed?!
Just who do you think you’re going to piss off?? I for one will be checking your site constantly for the latest trial tea! Thanks, TT!
OH! I wish I would have been here for the Jodi Arias live blog. Actually, I’m still interested in that and will go looking for it to see Tamara’s thoughts, and viewer’s comments, on it after I catch up.
Jussie sucks but his mind is much more sane that Jodi’s. Meh. I’m wrong. Neither one of them are sane and they both suck.
OMG- cannot wait for your coverage!!
I would have loved to have been able to read your posts on Jodi Arias, I know you would have (I hope at least) said what I would have been saying out loud (and sometimes very loud) as I walked from room to room cursing at her at every turn, and I find only with age I have gotten louder and I am def. cursing 99x more than I ever did. Thankfully I live alone and unfortunately the way the world is going there is a daily gob of crap going on to be watching/yelling at/cursing and you have it made it so great to be able to come by and read everyone’s thoughts, and either be thankful that I’m not alone in my thinking or wonder what the heck some of the visitors here are watching because obviously they aren’t seeing or hearing the same thing I am, lol. That’s what makes us all so great. So I am looking forward to stopping by and getting a good dose of your thoughts, it makes me wonder though I have heard from the chicago pd that they have so much more info/evidence that has not been released also making it seem crazy that a city that has had so much trouble for this that and all the other things, and are trying to turn things around, that they would even consider proceeding with this trial if they even thought they might have it wrong then there would be no way they would let this go any further if they are found to be wrong in this would be like opening the lions cage and just thinking that just maybe the lions aren’t hungry so they can survive this, because if it comes out that they made a lot of mistakes didn’t follow the rules of law and knew all of this but carried on anyway then they may as well close up shop now and let the city run itself with no policing if they can’t be trusted. As for Jussie I am at a loss, and can’t begin to imagine what he thinks is going to happen, he isn’t just a nobody if he is found guilty in more ways then one, especially if the FBI have evidence that the letter was sadly written by him, or he had taken any kind of part in it being sent then his life will never ever be the same and he will not come out of this in any kind of good way, I would hope he could be honest and take one last look in the humble mirror and see himself and if he can be honest if he is guilty and can admit it in the safety of his home alone moment, then he should not take this any further, and throw himself on the mercy of everyone and admit it out loud because if he doesn’t and can’t but is found guilty he should get the harshest penalty because he could have stopped all this, and the hard work of the police and the people that stood by him, and believed him, and in him he deserves all that he has coming to him without playing any kind of special card he thinks he can use as after a while any kind of card and with all kinds of cards after awhile they get faded and well worn out and expired and in the end he is going to be the one to blame for hurting himself, and no one else. Now are there any bets going on over any part of this trial and any of its participants, because I would really like to know what the thoughts are going into it and the end of it. Thank you TT I will be looking you up constantly for your point of view at every turn. Just wondering have you given any thought to doing a youtube session on this case, I think you would be awesome, and I for one would def. love to be able to sit and watch you at work in this case. I know how busy you are, so it could be a one time special edition of TT.
That smug idiot will probably try to submit the footage for Emmy consideration.
HA ? HA ?HA!!!
LOLOLOL!!!!!
Everyone better calm the hell down about the defense statements. That’s what the defense does- tries to create doubt in and OUT of the courtroom. From the get go, Chi PD knew they had to handle this with perfection. They knew they were going to be scrutinized.
I don’t know if anyone has noticed, but Geragos is not all that. In fact, I’m sure he’s less than average. I followed Scott Peterson as I did many other cases, and that guy is not a smoking gun. Jussie can cry and plead, but if the evidence is presented, I think he’s doing time.
Ugh, I really hope there aren’t any cameras. Why broadcast the rare situation when someone potentially lies about a hate crime? I feel like this spectacle will allow a lot of people to think this exception is normal, which is harmful and dangerous for real victims. I hope he gets a fair trial, and justice is served, but I’m not interested in giving this life.
I’m against cameras in this case since the guy clearly has a problem with attention seeking. Don’t want to feed the beast.
I’ll be reading everything you have to say about this. I still find it hard to believe he did it, but there is so much incriminating evidence I can’t find a reasonable explanation to refute any of it. He had so much to lose from this stunt, but it sounded fishy from the first comments, and why would anyone go home and sit around with a noose around his neck and bleach on his clothes?
He could very well have cost the whole cast and crew their jobs. And his career will never recover. Very sad, but I will be here for every minute of your commentary.
I think the brothers planned it all and during interrogation the cops “suggested” jussie set it up. They likely saw it as a way out. So far the only evidence implicates the brothers. Their attorney actually got on the news and said her clients were paid the money. Hard to believe they did this for free out of friendship. Why weren’t they willing to train out of friendship. Plus the brothers posted homophobic posts in past. There are texts and the check has admitted training being paid for. CPD claims Jussue wanted more pay, but empire producers disputed he or his agents asked for more pay. Seems extraordinary that his first attempt of seeking a pay raise would be stage a hate crime. Can’t really see a pathway where that would directly give him a raise. CPD needs to release actual evidence that Jussie orchestrated it. So far I evidence points to brothers. Their possible motive could be trying to position themselves for bodyguard position with Jussie. Seems far fetched, but tying this to a pay raise does as well. Gonna wait to see what evidence they bring out in trial.
I was wondering what bullshit story the defense could possibly come up with. How silly of me not to think of the good old “It was ll their idea” excuse. It’s going to be pretty hard to explain all those phonecalls especially the one Jussie made to them during their layover in Turkey.
I agree, but the raise sounds far fetched too. If the CPD said it was to incite a race war, or for some hate to the president, I could get with it. But for your first attempt at asking for araise. Prices don’t fit. Maybe CPD got the other peice and holding it close. All I see is Def brothers bought the stuff, recorded in City, uttered hateful crap in past and admitted they trained with him, as well as buy the crap. CPD needs to release the texts and video with Jussie actually planning and doing something. I don’t really care if he did or not
The thing about the police saying he did it for more money seemed to me their attempt to have a reason. That was not the reason. I don’t think we will ever know the reason.
It’s seems like it’s another reason. I agree with that.
Jussie arranged it because he wanted to be a victim. He wanted the sympathy and attention that go along with that.
That is more reasonable motive than for a raise. I would believe that for sure. People like attention
The following snippet is something to consider when debating whether the FBI will prosecute Jussie. I still believe they won’t but they may if there’s nothing else to do. What am I talking about, this is election season and we have a lot of scandals and mud slinging to cover. If Jussie waits long enough, he will be on the back page and sentenced to a year of home monitoring by year’s end.
“[Cook County State’s Attorney Kim] Foxx recused herself late in the investigation, but only after she intervened in the case by asking Chicago Police Department Superintendent Eddie Johnson to turn the investigation over to the FBI at the request of a Smollett relative and a former Obama administration official, according to newly-released emails and text messages,” CWB Chicago reported.
I hope the FBI throws the book at him.
All 16 charges dropped? AG sealed records, Jussie forfeited 10,000 bail and they claim that he would have gotten community services anyway, so why charge. Now even that don’t add up. 16 charges had max of 34 years, now they claiming he would have gotten just commu service, and let’s throw Jussie a bonus pack of sealed records. Why so generous? I’m guessing CPD got egg on their face cuz now they can’t even prosecute the brothers cuz they were given immunity. This case makes no sense. They were holding press conferences now silence?
Makes zero sense. I need more info!!! I am assuming TT isn’t going to post an update until there is more concrete answers.
Did you see Rahm Emanuel and Superintendent Eddie Johnson just gave a response? I’m disgusted. It was a white wash of justice. I think Jussie’s position and money are the reason he walked. At the beginning Rahm mentioned something that made me wonder if someone in politics helped facilitate having the charges dropped. I am curious who that was.
Sup Johnson said from the beginning that he wanted Jussie to apologize and pay for the hours of investigation. I don’t remember him saying that Jussie should spend time in prison.
I think this is likely one of the few times I can agree with Rahm Emanuel. Jussie using this to try and portray himself as innocent is disgusting. I truly hope FOX doesn’t put him back on the show and the nation never forgets what kind of human he truly is. Vile and disgusting. I am a true believer in karma and I know one day he’ll get whats coming to him.
He would never have gotten 34 years. I explained earlier that the 16 counts were just to give them 16 possible guilty charges. All it would have taken was one. The sentences would have run concurrently. The maximum would have been 3 years. He would never have gotten that. He would have gotten probation and possibly, probably? A very short jail sentences of less than a month just to make their point.
That said, this is bullshit. I think the Mayor may call for an internal investigation. TMZ had the guy responsile for the situation on an Interview from somewhere. He seems VERY NERVOUS. He will probably end up with time over this, I hope it was worth it.
Meanwhile, the Federal case is still open.