Jury selection is set to begin Nov. 29 in the trial of embattled former Empire actor Jussie Smollett, who allegedly lied to Chicago police in January 2019 about being the victim of a racist, anti-gay attack.
The trial, which is expected to last at least a week, promises to be the highest-profile event since the Leighton Criminal Court Building was virtually shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic more than a year and a half ago, The Chicago Tribune noted.
Cameras have been banned, meaning there will be no livestream of the proceedings.
The storyline involving Smollett grabbed international headlines—particularly after two brothers, Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo, told police the attack had been faked. Smollett had persuaded them to stage the assault in hopes of catching the attention of his Empire bosses, the brothers said.
Smollett was charged with giving a false report to the police. However, in a move that surprised many, Cook County prosecutors quietly dropped those charges shortly after Smollett’s formal indictment.