Brothers in Jussie Smollett hate crime case slam ‘sweetheart deal’

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The two brothers who said they helped Jussie Smollett stage a hate crime for media attention are sharing their thoughts on the court’s decision to reverse the actor’s conviction.

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On Thursday, the Illinois Supreme Court overturned Smollett’s conviction on charges of orchestrating a 2019 racist and homophobic attack and lying to Chicago police, stating the Empire star should not have been charged a second time after reaching a deal with prosecutors.

Last week’s ruling did not address Smollett’s continued claims of innocence.

Smollett, who is Black and gay, made headlines nearly six years ago after telling police two men who assaulted him in a Chicago neighbourhood shouted racial slurs, put a noose around his neck and yelled that he was in “MAGA country.”

Abimbola “Bola” Osundairo and Olabinjo “Ola” Osundairo say they are shocked that Smollett still maintains his innocence.

“We were taken back initially, not because of the Supreme Court’s decision, but because Jussie never admitted guilt,” Abimbola told Fox News.

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“We understand that he has due process rights and double jeopardy should not be and is not allowed in America,” he continued. “However, Jussie should have admitted guilt.”

Olabinjo added: “The real injustice here was the sweetheart deal that (Smollett) was given by Kim Foxx’s office at the beginning of all of this.”

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Smollett was convicted on five felony counts and sentenced to 150 days in county jail after special prosecutor Foxx requested a new inquiry.

However, the state’s highest court found that Foxx should not have been allowed to intervene after Smollett reached a deal with the Cook County state’s attorney in which charges against him were dropped in exchange for him forfeiting his $10,000 bond and performing community service.

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The deal did not include any condition that Smollett apologize or admit he staged the attack.

“Jussie got that deal because he has influence and power,” Abimbola said.

“So it shows that there are two different citizens in America — one with power and one without. And that’s why he got that sweetheart deal.”

The brothers also said they have yet to be paid the full amount that they were promised by Smollett but they claimed “it was not about the money at all.”

Abimola continued: “It was more so us helping out a friend.”

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