Jussie Smollett has taken the witness stand at his trial where he is facing charges accusing him of staging a racist, anti-gay attack on himself and lying to Chicago police about it.
The former actor from the TV show Empire was testifying as the trial entered its second week and neared a finish.
Two brothers testified last week that Smollett, who is gay and black, orchestrated the hoax to get publicity. They said he paid them to fake the January 2019 attack in central Chicago.
Smollett’s lawyers argue the attack was real and that the brothers made up the story about a hoax then asked Smollett for one million dollars each to not testify against him at trial.
The charges carry a possible sentence of three years in prison, though legal experts say the 39-year-old is more likely to get probation and be ordered to perform community service.
