Good Law | Bad Law

Aaron Freiwald, Managing Partner of Freiwald Law and host of the weekly podcast, Good Law | Bad Law, is joined by Professor Dan McConkie to talk about the Jussie Smollett hate crime/hoax case.   As former state and federal prosecutor in California for eight years, Professor McConkie brings a keen insight to the story and the broad implications of this much-publicized and controversial case.  By now most of us are familiar with the Jussie Smollett incident; if not, you can find some background here.   Smollett, an actor on the Empire TV show on Fox and a singer, last January claimed he was the victim of a hate-inspired assault in downtown Chicago.  He set off a massive police investigation and inspired nationwide support, particularly because the two “assailants” supposedly hurled racial and homophobic insults while invoking President Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan.  Then the investigation shifted its focus to Smollett himself.  In March, he was charged with 16 felony counts related to making fa