Defence argues Jussie Smollett is ‘a real victim’ of attack as trial begins

Actor Jussie Smollett looks back at his mother as they arrive with other family members at a Chicago court (Charles Rex Arbogast/AP)

Jussie Smollett “is a real victim” of a “real crime”, his lawyer said as the ex-Empire actor’s trial started on Monday.

Nenye Uche rejected prosecutors’ allegation Smollett staged a homophobic and racist attack in Chicago after the television studio where he worked did not take hate mail he had received seriously.