On a frigid Chicago night in January 2019, actor Jussie Smollett, a star on the TV drama "Empire," reported that he was the victim of a hate-motivated street attack, but police later accused him of staging the whole affair as a publicity stunt.

The case went to trial on Monday in Cook County Circuit Court, with a jury selected by late afternoon to hear evidence for six felony counts of disorderly conduct accusing Smollett of making false reports to the police.

Smollett, 39, has denied that he faked the attack, pleading not guilty...