Actor Jussie Smollett is making headlines once again as he appeals his 2021 disorderly conduct conviction. The Illinois Supreme Court has accepted Smollett’s appeal, but a date for the hearing has not yet been set.
Smollett, known for his role on the hit show “Empire,” filed a petition on Feb. 5, asking the Illinois high court to intervene in his legal battle. This comes after a jury found him guilty on five of the six charges of disorderly conduct in connection to a staged hate crime he reported to Chicago police in January 2019.
The actor was sentenced to 150 days in jail, 30 months of felony probation, restitution to the city of Chicago, and a fine following his conviction. Smollett’s legal team is arguing that the state breached a non-prosecution agreement by indicting him again in the hate crime hoax, despite a previous deal to drop the charges.
Throughout the trial, conviction, and now appeal, Smollett has maintained his innocence. His attorneys have cited Fifth Amendment protections against double jeopardy as part of their argument for overturning the conviction.
The case has been described as complicated by the intersection of politics and public outrage, with Smollett’s legal team fighting to clear his name. The Illinois Supreme Court will ultimately decide the fate of Smollett’s appeal, and the entertainment world will be watching closely for updates on this ongoing legal drama.
