Jussie Smollett’s Conviction Overturned By Illinois Supreme Court

Jussie Smollett can breathe a sigh of relief after the Illinois Supreme Court overturned his second conviction for staging a hate crime. The decision, announced on November 21, concluded that the state must uphold its prior agreement with the actor.

The court noted, “Today we resolve a question about the State’s responsibility to honor the agreements it makes with defendants... the State is bound by the agreement.”

Smollett’s legal troubles began in 2019 when he filed a police report claiming he was attacked by two men in MAGA hats shouting homophobic slurs. A subsequent investigation by Chicago police concluded Smollett had orchestrated the incident, leading to his conviction for falsifying a police report.

Initially, Smollett reached a deal with Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx to drop the case in exchange for forfeiting his $10,000 bond and completing 15 hours of community service. Despite fulfilling these conditions, the state later charged him again, resulting in a sentence of 30 months probation, including 150 days in jail.

Smollett served a brief stint in jail before being released during the appeal process, which has now resulted in a full reversal of his conviction.

While Smollett has yet to comment, his legal team expressed satisfaction with the outcome, calling the case a “vindictive persecution.” His lawyer added, “We are pleased that the rule of law was the big winner today.”

This latest decision closes a contentious chapter in Smollett’s legal saga.