Bulls COVID/ Smollett Jury Out/ Chinatown Slaying/ Ape Card Ban

It's now up to a jury of six men and six women to determine which alleged "liar" is telling the truth in former "Empire" actor Jussie Smollet's trial.

Is it Smollett, the soap-opera actor who says he's innocent of felony charges that he faked a hate crime against himself and lied to the cops about it?

Or did star witnesses, Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo — dubbed "sophisticated liars and criminals" by defense attorneys — deliver more credible testimony?

After a couple of hours of deliberation Wednesday, the jury went home for the night. So, we wait.

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Breezy. High: 43 Low: 33.

• The brutal slaying of a 71-year old man in Chinatown was caught on video. Woom Sing Tse was on his way to buy a newspaper when he was shot multiple times and killed in broad daylight Tuesday, Jackie Kostek reports. (CBS2)
• Looks like the streaking Bulls have a COVID-19 outbreak on their hands. Guard Matt Thomas is the fourth player in the past eight days to be placed on the protocol list, joining DeMar DeRozan, Devonte Green and Coby White, all of whom have tested positive for COVID-19 since Dec. 1. (Patch)
• Lake View and Lincoln Park neighbors beware! Police issued a community alert about a spike in robberies and carjackings, including two attacks were reported within a few minutes Tuesday night near Wrigley Field. Authorities say people carrying semi-automatic guns approached people on the street, demanded their property and fled in cars manned by a waiting getaway driver. (CBS2)
• "Funny" greeting cards featuring apes playing dress up won't be sold at some national drug stores anymore thanks in part to the efforts of Lincoln Park Zoo researcher Steve Ross. (Block Club)
• Bears rookie Justin Fields will return to his starting role against Green Bay on Sunday after recovering from a rib injury — and eating his way to an MVP award, of sorts. PETA named Fields – who began eating vegan in 2020 — it's Favorite Animal-Friendly Athlete, at the 2021 Libby Awards. (Patch)

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