Smollett’s attorney says he “respectfully disagrees” with the verdict and will appeal

Ola Osundairo watched the Jussie Smollett verdict being read while sitting in the court overflow room.  

Sitting in front of a big monitor that carried the signal live from the courtroom, Ola sat quietly, without expression, while the verdict was read. His expression never changed. 

About a minute after the verdict was read, while holding hands with a woman sitting next to him, Ola looked down at the floor for over a minute.

Bola Osundairo, his brother, was not at the courthouse as he is scheduled to fight in a boxing match in Louisiana tonight, according to his attorney Gloria Rodriguez.

Some context: Last week, brothers Bola and Ola Osundairo testified that Smollett, who is Black and gay, directed and paid them to carry out a sham anti-gay and racist attack in order to garner sympathetic media coverage.

Their testimony, as well as that of five Chicago police investigators, formed the core of the prosecution’s case against Smollett.

Read more about how the case unfolded here.