Former “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett, who is accused of lying about an alleged hate crime, took the stand in his own trial on Monday. Smollett, 39, was charged with six counts of disorderly conduct on suspicion of making false reports to police over an alleged race-based attack that occurred in the winter of 2019 in a bid to gain publicity. Smollett previously has denied staging the attack on himself, pleading not guilty to the charges. When he took the stand, Smollett spoke so quietly that his own defense attorney had him speak up, reported the Chicago Tribune. The trial is not being televised. His attorneys asked Smollett about his family life and his acting career before he was asked about details of the case. Last week during the trial, two brothers—Abimbola and Olabingo Osundairo—took the stand and said Smollett orchestrated the hoax to get publicity, giving them $100 for supplies and …