Former Empire actor Jussie Smollett has denied he staged an anti-gay, racist attack on himself in downtown Chicago, testifying at his trial "there was no hoax".
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Smollett, who faces charges that he lied to Chicago police about the January 2019 attack, sought to refute damaging testimony from two brothers last week.
They said Smollett, who is gay and black, orchestrated the hoax to get publicity, giving them $US100 for supplies and instructing them to place a noose around his neck and yell homophobic slurs.
They also said Smollett gave them a $US3500 payment to carry out the attack.
Smollett told jurors he was walking home after buying a sandwich when someone yelled to him about the TV show then shouted a racist, homophobic remark.
The actor said he was angry and turned around to confront the person, who he said towered over him.
"I would like to think I landed a punch but I don't know if it landed," Smollett said.
He said he slipped and the pair tussled on the ground for up to 30 seconds.
Smollett said he assumed the person who attacked him was white because he used a racial slur and shouted it was "MAGA country", an apparent reference to then-president Donald Trump's campaign slogan, Make America Great Again.
The brothers, Abimbola and Olabingo Osundairo, who are black, testified last week Smollett instructed them to yell "this is MAGA country" during what they said was the fake assault.
Smollett said he noticed he had a noose around his neck as he got up. He said he removed the noose but a friend who was at his apartment called police and told him to put the noose back on so officers could see it.
Smollett said he was upset police had been called because he would never have done so.
"I am a black man in America. I do not trust the police," Smollett said.
"I am also a well-known figure at that time and I am an openly gay man."
Smollett also testified he wrote the $US3500 cheque for nutrition and training advice from Abimbola Osundairo - with whom he also said he had a sexual relationship, which Osundairo denies - while he was going to be out of town.
Asked by his defence attorney if he gave Osundairo payment for some kind of hoax, Smollett replied: "Never".
The attorney asked again if he planned a hoax. "No," Smollett said, "there was no hoax."
Prosecutors say Smollett staged the attack because he was unhappy with the Empire studio's response to hate mail he received.
The letter included a drawing of a stick figure hanging by a noose, with a gun pointed at it, and the word 'MAGA'.
Smollett, 39, is charged with making what prosecutors say was a false police report about the alleged attack to three different officers.
The charge carries a prison sentence of up to three years.
Australian Associated Press
