On the racist, homophobic frameup trial of Jussie Smollett

Actor Jussie Smollett, center, arrives Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021, at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse for his trial in Chicago.

Statement from the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression
Frank Chapman, Executive Director

Chicago’s Criminal Justice System has once again distinguished itself with the legal lynching of a Black Gay person, Jussie Smollett. The mostly white jury found Smollett guilty on five counts after nine hours of deliberation. He was acquitted on the sixth count of lying to a detective. This has been the most expensively prosecuted low grade felony case in Chicago history. And in addition to being an incredible waste of taxpayers’ dollars it was the greatest mockery of a trial I have ever seen.

In all the criminal trials where I have seen innocent Black people framed up by racist, corrupt Chicago police officers, prosecutors and judges I have never seen anything like this, where prosecutors so fabricate evidence with lying witnesses and video tapes of Smollett driving around where he lives. The prosecutors’ theory is that Smollett perpetrated a hate crime against himself. The police and press presumed Smollett guilty two years before this trial when they allowed former Mayor Rahm Emanuel and CPD Superintendent Eddie Johnson to try this case at press conferences.

The evidence in this case was not circumstantial but contrived. Contrived and presented by the prosecutors with an unspeakable degree of racist arrogance.

Judge Linn openly sided with the prosecution throughout the trial and the media was silent. The media was as they tend to always be joint partners in this dehumanizing attack against Jussie Smollett, a Black gay man who has also been a warrior for justice for Black people.

Finally let us say it loud and clear. This case has been used by the powers that be in this City to attack States Attorney Kim Foxx and our movement. They have tried to trivialize the very real cries for justice against a system that is blatantly racist and homophobic. This is unacceptable. We will fight back, and we will win.


Earlier, Frank Chapman had posted on Facebook:

I sat in this trial from Monday, Nov. 6, to Wednesday, Dec. 8, and all I saw was prosecutors and lying witnesses presenting fabricated evidence to back up their lies. The evidence was not circumstantial but contrived and presented to a mostly white jury with one Black person on it, and the prosecutors presented their case with an unspeakable degree of racist and homophobic arrogance. With one Black person on the jury and a Judge openly hostile to the defense lawyers we are not surprised by the verdict of guilty.

From the very beginning, two years ago, this case has been used as a political football against States Attorney Kim Foxx and our movement against police crimes in this city. This is unacceptable. Jussie Smollett has always maintained his innocence and we believe him. We stand with the Smollett family whom we have known for decades to be warriors for justice. Justice for Jussie Smollett!!!


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