Illinois Supreme Court Agrees To Hear Appeal From Jussie Smollett

The Illinois Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal from Jussie Smollett, the former “Empire” actor convicted of orchestrating a fake hate crime against himself and misleading Chicago police. This development follows a state appellate court’s decision to uphold his 2021 conviction. Smollett’s controversial case began in January 2019 when he reported being the victim of a racist and homophobic assault. Investigations later revealed that Smollett had allegedly paid two men, Abel and Ola Osundairo, to carry out the staged attack. Despite his conviction and a sentence that included jail time, probation, and restitution, Smollett has maintained his innocence and sought appellate review. The appellate court dismissed claims of double jeopardy violation, but with a dissenting opinion on the fairness of re-prosecuting Smollett after an initial agreement. The Illinois Supreme Court’s decision to review his appeal opens the door for Smollett to potentially escalate his case to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary.

Source: BET