Thread by @djbyrnes1

Back at the #Smollett trial. A little late this morning because the Cook County bureaucracy gods demanded a sacrfice in the form of an hour of my morning. Jussie Smollett is still on the witness stand. Prosecutor Dan Webb is still cross-examining him.

Webb is asking Smollett if there's any record that he canceled his scheduled morning work out with Abimbola Osundairo, the day after the alleged attack on Jan 29., 2019. Smollett says there isn't; that he was more preoccupied with other things.

Webb asking if Smollett recognized the voices of the people who allegedly attacked him when they shouted slurs at him, specifically if they sounded like the Osundairo brothers. Smollett says he doesn't know. "In that moment, it's not like I'm gonna go, 'Hey Bola, is that you?'"

Webb discussing the Osundairo brothers' testimony that they were in Smollett's neighborhood to carry out the alleged attack on Smollett's direction. Webb asking if Smollett doubted their testimony, in which the brothers identified themselves in a street cam video.

Smollett answers, "I doubted every word they said... they're liars."

Webb discussing the racial identity of the alleges attackers. "Are you telling the jury that you believe the people who attacked you were white?" Webb asks.

Smollett repeats that he saw pale skin around the eyes of one of the people who allegedly attacked him, and says that he definitely told police at some point that the alleged attackers were white. But he cannot remeber which detective he told that to.

Webb says that at some point Smollett changed his testimony from "white" to "pale-skinned," citing detectives' testimony to that effect. Smollett admits this, saying it was the more responsible statement, but also accuses detectives of changing his words.

For example, Smollett says police fabricated the statement that he called the Osundairo brothers "Black as sin," claims he would never say that.

Webb asking Smollett if he deliberately kept Brandon Moore on the phone while the alleged attack was taking place, so as to have a record of it. Smollett says no, that wasn't his intention and he didn't deliberately keep Moore on the phone.

Webb asking whether the facial injuries Smollett suffered were as bad as he said. Points out Smollett's Good Morning America interview in 2019 where he has no obviously visible injuries. Smollett explains that he was in make-up and under favorable lighting, which hid the scars.

Prosecution has no more questions. Judge James Linn calls for a recess.

I'm going to have to cut my coverage of the #Smollett trial there, unfortunately. Other reporterly duties demand attention. However, Judge Linn said he expects the trial to last until Wednesday, so god willing I'll be able to pick things back up tomorrow.