SAN FRANCISCO, April 25, (THEWILL) – Two Nigerian brothers, who said they helped actor Jussie Smollett stage what he had claimed was a racist and homophobic attack, have sued the celebrity’s lawyers for allegedly making statements about them they knew were untrue.
Following reports that a prosecutor who decided to drop charges against the 36-year-old actor had received death threats, brothers Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo, filed a suit accusing Smollett’s legal team of defamation.
In a suit filed in Chicago on Tuesday against lawyer Mark Geragos, attorneys for the brothers claimed Geragos and members of his team, continued to claim they had “led a criminally homophobic, racist and violent” attack, even after police said the incident was staged and all charges had been dropped.
The lawsuit claimed the lawyers’ repeated statements that Smollett told the truth all along and that the brothers were lying caused them “significant emotional distress”, and made them feel unsafe and alienated them from the local community.
“Smollet wanted his employer and the public to notice and appreciate him as a successful black, openly gay actor,” the lawsuit said. “So, Mr Smollett directed every aspect of the attack, including the location and the noose.”
The lawsuit did not specify an exact amount of money the brothers were seeking, but said it would it be more than $75,000 for “appropriate compensatory damages, punitive damages and costs” stemming from the alleged defamation.
The incident that Smollett initially reported as a homophobic and racist attack, has divided and bemused people across the nation. Initially the recipient of sympathy, opinion against the actor shifted after police arrested him and accused him of paying the two brothers to stage the attack.
The case took another twist when Cook County state’s attorney Kim Foxx decided to drop 16 charges against the actor saying it would rather focus resources on violent crimes.
