The attorney who was representing Abel and Ola Osundairo, the Nigerian-American brothers who told police they assaulted “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett after he paid them $3,500 to do so, issued a statement on March 26 after prosecutors dropped the 16 felony counts against the actor.
Gloria Schmidt told CBS Chicago that she was no longer representing the brothers.
“The Osundairo brothers were fully prepared to testify in any criminal proceedings in the Jussie Smollett case,” she said in a statement.
“Following today’s decision ending the criminal case against Smollett, Gloria Schmidt no longer represents the Osundairo brothers as trial witnesses in the criminal matter.”
Gloria Schmidt, the attorney for the Osundairo brothers no longer represents them.
Schmidt and a credible crisis management team have decided to walk away from the brothers. Full statement below. @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/y85NxAXfpN
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) March 27, 2019
The Osundairo brothers have not reacted publicly to the charges against Smollett for filing a false police report being dropped despite prosecutors believing that the evidence gathered in the case against the actor was solid.
Smollett, 36, initially claimed he was assaulted on Jan. 29 by two white male supporters of President Donald Trump. After a weeklong investigation, the Chicago Police Department announced the arrest of the Osundairo brothers, who had worked on “Empire” with Smollett and were friends with the actor.
The brothers told detectives that Smollett paid them to fake a hate crime, even rehearsing the attack several days before it allegedly happened and telling one to yell “This is MAGA country” while the other was to “attack him, but not hurt him too badly.”
“This stunt was orchestrated by Smollett because he was dissatisfied with his salary,” Chicago Superintendent Eddie Johnson said on Feb. 21.
The Osundairos were seen on surveillance footage buying items used in the alleged hate crime hoax, including red hats meant to look like the “Make America Great Again” hats worn by some Trump supporters.
EXCLUSIVE:
I tracked down surveillance of the Osundairo’s buying supplies before “attack”
Sources say Jussie Smollet told brothers what to buy.
Countless phone calls placed for this.
Visited more stores than I wish to admit. @cbschicago https://t.co/GT6h2g6Y9a pic.twitter.com/ULr3UTDe9Q
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) February 20, 2019
While they haven’t issued a statement following the charges being dropped, they said in a statement in mid-February that they’re not racist.
“We are not racist. We are not homophobic and we are not anti-Trump. We were born and raised in Chicago and are American citizens,” they said in the statement.
Smollett’s attorney tried to focus attention on the brothers, telling reporters that police should pivot away from her client.
“The two men who attacked him have indicated that they attacked him, so we already know who attacked him,” Patricia Brown Holmes, one of Smollett’s lawyers, told the Associated Press.
Holmes did not explain why Smollett initially identified his attackers as white Trump supporters.
Schmidt, the attorney who was representing the Osundairos, previously told the Associated Press that the brothers regretted their involvement in the alleged scheme.
“It started by them having a relationship with Mr. Smollett. Mr. Smollett being in a position of power over them—him being this celebrity person who could pull strings for them and help them in their career,” Schmidt said. “They were thinking, I’m going to help my friend. He’s asking for this.”
