Jussie Smollett Verdict: What Happens Next for the 'Mighty Ducks' Actor?

The jury in the trial of Jussie Smollett has found the Mighty Ducks actor guilty of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself back in 2019.

He was found guilty of five of the six charges that he lied to police about being the target of a hate crime.

The former Empire actor originally claimed that two men had attacked him in January 2019 near his home in Chicago. The attack allegedly entailed the use of racial epithets and also tying a noose around his neck.

However, an investigation by the Chicago police found several holes in Smollett's account and prosecutors accused the actor of paying the pair of men to attack him.

Smollett was later charged with disorderly conduct for allegedly staging the crime. The actor pleaded not guilty.

Testifying at the trial, Smollett said "there was no hoax" and claimed he was the victim of a real hate crime, calling the two men who testified against him "liars."

His defense attorney, Nenye Uche, said the actor will appeal his guilty verdict. Uche told reporters he is "100 percent confident" his client's name will be cleared by an appellate court.

What Happens Next For Jussie Smollett?

According to ABC7 Chicago, Judge James Linn said he was fine with keeping Smollett on his recognizance bond, but Smollett will return to Chicago for sentencing.

His disorderly conduct charges were listed as class 4 felonies, which are among the least serious felonies in Illinois, and they carry a prison sentence of up to three years.

However, experts say he's likely to be placed on probation and ordered to perform community service, since Smollett has no previous criminal history and no one was seriously hurt in the case.

A sentencing date has yet to be scheduled but post-trial motions will take place on January 27 via Zoom.

Jussie Smollett Guilty Verdict Charges

Smollett was found guilty of the following five disorderly conduct charges. Each charge represents an instance that took place during January 29, 2019 and February 14, 2019, in which the actor allegedly lied to police.

1. Telling a police officer he was a hate crime victim: The actor was accused of telling responding Chicago Police Officer Muhammed Baig at around 2:45 a.m. local time (around 45 minutes after the alleged attack) that he was the victim of a hate crime. He claimed two attackers put a rope around his neck.
2. Telling a police officer he was a battery victim: Describing attackers beating and pouring bleach on him, Smollett was accused of telling Baig he was a victim of a battery.
3. Telling a detective he was a hate crime victim
4. Telling a detective he was a battery victim: The third and fourth charges relate to Smollett making the same claims but to a different officer (Kimberly Murray) later that morning, just before 6 a.m. local time.
5. Telling a detective again he was a battery victim: The actor was accused of again telling Murray that he was the victim of a battery at around 7:15 p.m. local time.

He was found not guilty of telling a second detective that he was an aggravated battery victim. The sixth charge referred to Smollett reporting he'd been a victim of an aggravated battery to detective Robert Graves on February 14, 2019.

Newsweek has contacted the lawyers for Smollett for comment.