Robert Chiarito, Mark Guarino and Mitch Smith CHICAGO — As voters went to the polls on Tuesday, they overwhelmingly named one issue as their top concern: crime. After homicides surged to generational highs early in the pandemic, and with property crimes continuing to increase, voters of all backgrounds in [...]

By Jennifer Steinhauer Aug. 11, 2011 VIRGINIA BEACH — Taking in the highly unfavorable view most Americans have about Congress right now, it might be assumed that what voters seek is a lowered volume, thoughtful bipartisanship and legislative compromise. But in meetings with voters across the country [...]

In opening the trial, a prosecutor said Mr. Smollett had staged a hate crime because a death threat he received was not taken seriously enough at work. By Julia Jacobs and Mark Guarino Nov. 29, 2021 The actor Jussie Smollett made himself the victim of a staged hate crime [...]

A detective told jurors at Mr. Smollett’s trial how the actor had gone from victim to suspect as the investigation unfolded. But the actor’s lawyer suggested the police work was not thorough. By Julia Jacobs and Mark Guarino Nov. 30, 2021 A detective who investigated the actor Jussie Smollett’s [...]

Abimbola Osundairo, testifying at Mr. Smollett’s trial on charges of filing a false police report, said the actor “wanted me to fake beat him up.” By Julia Jacobs and Mark Guarino Dec. 1, 2021 Jussie Smollett, frustrated by what he saw as a muted reaction to a death threat [...]

Under questioning by Mr. Smollett’s defense team, two brothers who say they participated in a fake attack denied suggestions they had lied to avoid prosecution. By Julia Jacobs and Mark Guarino Dec. 2, 2021 Jussie Smollett’s lawyers suggested in court on Thursday that two brothers at the center of [...]

The actor, who is accused of asking two brothers to mildly attack him, and then reporting it as a hate crime, took the stand at his criminal trial on charges related to the 2019 assault. By Julia Jacobs and Mark Guarino Dec. 6, 2021 Jussie Smollett took the stand [...]

Mr. Smollett was questioned Tuesday by the prosecution about his interactions with his attackers shortly before the 2019 assault. By Julia Jacobs and Mark Guarino Dec. 7, 2021 Testimony in the trial over whether Jussie Smollett lied to police about being the victim of a hate crime ended on [...]

After closing arguments on Wednesday, the panel began considering whether the actor had staged a hate crime against himself, as the two men who attacked him have testified. By Julia Jacobs and Mark Guarino Dec. 8, 2021 The jury tasked with deciding whether Jussie Smollett falsely told the police [...]

Mr. Smollett was convicted of filing a false police report in 2019 claiming he had been the victim of a racist and homophobic attack. The jury deliberated for more than nine hours. By Julia Jacobs and Mark Guarino Dec. 9, 2021 A jury in Chicago found the actor Jussie [...]