Inside Edition talks to a prosecutor and a former special agent to get their opinion about what people can learn from Jussie Smollett's demeanor while talking about his alleged attack.
Does Jussie Smollett's TV interview hold clues to the many questions being raised about his story?
Inside Edition asked experts in behavioral science to analyze and provide opinion about the actor's demeanor when he spoke with Robin Roberts Thursday on “Good Morning America," his first TV interview since he was allegedly attacked in Chicago.
Smollett's smile at the beginning of the interview was the first thing that struck prosecutor Wendy Patrick as slightly odd, she said.
"We call it counterintuition, sometimes the mannerisms don’t match the message, but that is not often due to dishonesty, it is also due to nervousness," she told Inside Edition.
Patrick added, in her opinion, that she found Smollett more focused on his feelings than the actual facts of his case.
"In the moment, adrenaline is flowing, our attention is divided, particularly if it is a traumatic incident – we may not remember the exact details but we sure remember how we felt during the incident," she explained.
Former special agent Roger Strecker, who has more than 30 years of experience in law enforcement, told Inside Edition, in his opinion, he found it strange that Smollett shared so many details.
"A lot of times, a person that is not being truthful will create extraneous information that is not necessary or is not part of the predicate question," he said.
Two men have been arrested in connection with the alleged attack. Both men have links the 36-year-old actor and have appeared as extras on “Empire," after some published reports questioned whether Smollett’s claims we’re a hoax. However, police said Friday there is no evidence that "this is a hoax."
“While we haven’t found any video documenting the alleged attack, there is no evidence to say that this is a hoax,” Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told the Los Angeles Times in a statement. “The alleged victim is being cooperative at this time and continues to be treated as a victim, not a suspect.”
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