In just the latest in a never-ending series of plot contortions Jussie Smollett’s legal representatives are straining to have the story of his alleged attack on January 29 fit the constantly evolving narrative to his case. The latest seems a concerted effort to now have all of the blame of that evening transferred over to the Osundairo brothers, recognized as the ones who interacted with Smollett that evening.

There are comments made – some less veiled than others – that a scheme, if not a conspiracy is behind all of this. The AP has the story now that the two brothers were put up in aa Chicagoland hotel by the local police, an implication of coercion possibly at play. This feels like a well-timed report on behalf of Smollett, as it arrives just as his lawyers are working to have their actor client relieved of responsibility.

The scrambling taking place in Chicago is dizzying to watch as so many players in the Jussie Smollett extravaganza are desperate to stay in front of the ever-shifting story. The State Attorney Kim Foxx has a lot to answer for, and her constant changing of her position has only created more questions.

Now Jussie Smollett’s legal team members are also straining to come up with plausible explanations as a defense for their client, even as all charges have been supposedly dropped. The two Nigerian brothers who have had a relationship with Smollett, either personal or just professional (this detail, like many in this case, is up in the air), have become the primary focus of the Smollett legal team. Offsetting responsibility is clearly the goal.

First we have heard speculation from lawyer Tina Glandian. In an interview with Good Morning America she posits that the night of the alleged assault could have transpired as a result of the brothers wearing whiteface that evening. They are trying to sell the story that after Smollett was in contact with the brothers shortly before the attack was said to have taken place the brothers applied whiteface makeup, and then they also donned facemasks.

Smollett’s lawyer came across this theory when she Googled the brothers and saw a video of one dressed as The Joker, from the Batman films.

This lede from the AP is a curious one, because it carries the tone that something untoward was at play. The reason the police had the brothers were sequestered in this fashion was two-fold; they had come by information that was deeply germain to their case, and when they were set to question the brothers they desired to avoid the media.

It is deeper in the article before the AP acknowledges this may have been a wise move: “The brothers were taken to the hotel after their release, when police found out news organizations were at the men’s residence, according to one investigative report.

Another of Smollett’s lawyers, Patricia Brown Holmes, made it clear at a press conference they want attention to be steered onto the Abimbola Osundairo and Olabinjo Osundairo. “The two men who attacked him have indicated that they attacked him, so we already know who attacked him.” She also passed off responsibility regarding the check payment made by her client onto the pair. “The Osundairo brothers said more than once that the $3,500 check they received was for exactly what Jussie said. They were his trainers,” Holmes said.

During her interview Wednesday, Glandian strained to explain that police are aware Smollett talked and texted with the Osundairos not very long before the attack. She explained that training and nutrition were the subjects discussed.

The curiosity is that if charges are dropped why is there a need to attempt pushing responsibility onto them? Also, Glaandian made a curious follow up statement in her interview. She claimed that Smollett had no idea who was behind the attack, until the police identified the brothers from the surveillance video.

This differs entirely from a previous version of events regarding the revelation. In mid February when the police initially tabbed the brothers they approached Smollett to inform him that they had 2 suspects. He was asked if he was interested in pursuing complaints, which he indicated he would. However, once Smollett became informed who it was that had been brought in he immediately rescinded his desire to move forward with charges.

The questions with this case continue to mount while few actually become answered.

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