Evidence that Jussie Smollett staged fake attack is overwhelming, court told

Actor Jussie Smollett arrives with his mother Janet at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse (Charles Rex Arbogast/AP)

A US prosecutor has told jurors there is “overwhelming evidence” that former Empire actor Jussie Smollett staged a racist, anti-gay attack against himself in Chicago for publicity – then lied to police about it.

Special prosecutor Dan Webb said during his closing argument that what Smollett did in January 2019 caused Chicago police to spend enormous amounts of time and resources investigating an alleged crime that turned out to be fake.