Jussie Smollett Opens Up For The First Time In A Long While About His HateCrime Case

American actor and singer, Jussie Smollett was in an Instagram Live interview with BET correspondent and Temple University professor Marc Lamont Hill, he opened up for the first time about his case, police corruption, BLM, and more.

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The former “Empire” actor, was accused in January 2019 of staging a racist, homophobic attack against himself. Smollett told the police he was walking home early when two masked men approached him, made racist and homophobic insults, beat him and looped a noose around his neck and screamed, “This is MAGA country,” before running away.

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He has been in legal troubles since then.

“It’s been frustrating, to say the least,” Smollett said. “It’s been beyond frustrating because to be somebody that… speaks up for so much and speaks up about so many things, it’s been difficult to kind of be quiet – to not be able to say all the things you want to say, to yell from the rooftop because I don’t think people realize that I’ve just been wrapped up in some form of a case for the last approaching two years.”

He maintained his innocence but said he did not think he would be absolved in his ongoing legal battle.

Smollett accused the media and police of shying away from details that could prove his innocence. The actor said that law enforcement and the media are “trying to sell” an agenda by highlighting certain aspects of the case to paint the picture of a guilty man.

On why he has been silent and just speaking up on the case, he said:

I’m certainly not going rogue, I’m still taking the advice of my attorneys and everything, but I just don’t really see what staying quiet has done or where it’s gotten me. Sometimes I wake up in the morning and I am so angry, and then other times I wake up and if I squint real hard, I can see the silver lining.

Watch the video below: