Big news in the legal saga of former Empire star Jussie Smollett: his 2021 conviction for staging a hate crime has been overturned by the Illinois Supreme Court. The court ruled that Smollett’s second prosecution violated due process after his initial charges were dropped in 2019.
Smollett was originally sentenced to 150 days in jail, probation, and over $130,000 in restitution for allegedly paying two men to stage a fake attack. He served just six days of his sentence while appealing. The Supreme Court’s decision cited similarities to Bill Cosby’s case, emphasizing the importance of honoring prosecutorial agreements.
Despite the ruling, the Special Prosecutor maintains that Smollett’s conviction was supported by overwhelming evidence. The City of Chicago still plans to pursue its lawsuit to recover investigation costs.
