Jussie Smollet

Jussie Smollett testifies at trial: 'There was no hoax'

Mr Smollett, 39, said he was set upon by two assailants shouting slurs in central Chicago on 29 January 2019.

He stood by his claim to police that the assailants had cried out a Trump slogan and tied a noose round his neck.

Mr Smollett faces six felony disorderly conduct charges for allegedly lying about the attack.

Prosecutors have argued the actor staged the incident in an effort to help his career.

Jussie Smollett: Actor faces six new charges

The Empire actor said he was the subject of a racist and homophobic attack in Chicago last year.

Authorities have accused him of staging the attack on himself for publicity, something he has always denied.

Smollett now faces six counts of disorderly conduct, special prosecutor Dan Webb said in a statement.

In January last year, Chicago police said they were investigating a suspected racist and homophobic attack on Smollett by two masked men.

Former Empire star Jessie Smollett files lawsuit against Chicago for malicious prosecution

Chicago filed a lawsuit in April seeking reimbursement of more than NZ$202,000 for overtime paid to police officers who were involved in investigating the alleged January attack.

Smollett’s attorneys filed a response Tuesday in federal court. It said the city should not be allowed to recover costs from Smollett because it accepted $15,600 from the actor “as payment in full in connection with the dismissal of the charges against him.”

They also filed a counterclaim, saying Smollett was the victim of a malicious prosecution that caused him humiliation and extreme distress.