IL Supreme Court Overturns Jussie Smollett Conviction

Chicago’s ABC affiliate reports:

The Illinois Supreme Court has reversed the conviction of actor Jussie Smollett. The former “Empire” actor took his case to the Illinois Supreme Court in September in a last-ditch effort to have his 2021 conviction overturned.

“Specifically, we address whether a dismissal of a case by nolle prosequi allows the State to bring a second prosecution when the dismissal was entered as part of an agreement with the defendant and the defendant has performed his part of the bargain. We hold that a second prosecution under these circumstances is a due process violation, and we therefore reverse defendant’s conviction,” the Illinois Supreme Court wrote in its ruling.

Smollett was convicted of falsely reporting a 2019 hate crime against him in 2021. Smollett, who is Black and gay, alleged his attackers shouted racist and homophobic slurs at him before putting a noose around his neck on a Chicago street.

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BREAKING: Actor Jussie Smollett’s hate crime hoax conviction overturned. pic.twitter.com/VUpeQfeQ5H

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