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The Illinois Supreme Court has overturned Jussie Smollett’s conviction in the case surrounding the alleged hoax hate crime he alleges was committed against him in 2019. Stand. The court ruled that the special prosecutors’ decision to retry Smollett after the Cook County State Attorney’s Office dropped all charges violated his rights. “We are aware that this case has generated significant public interest and that many people were dissatisfied with the resolution of the original case and felt it was unfair,” the opinion said. “Nevertheless, what would be more unjust than the resolution of any criminal case would be for this court to find that the state is not obliged to honor agreements on which people have harmfully relied.”

In Smollett’s case, the decision on this point has been reversed several times. Most recently, in December 2023, a lower court rejected his appeal, but Smollett appealed again, and now, almost a year later, the Illinois Supreme Court has agreed with him, saying the state court’s original decision should have been overturned followed. . Smollett first reported a hate crime in January 2019. On February 20 of that year, after reports that the attackers were paid actors, Smollett was charged with filing a false police report. But in March, the Cook County State Attorney’s Office, led by Kim Foxx, dropped the charges and reportedly explained to police that they believed he would only be charged with community service. Backlash ensued, and in June an Illinois judge approved a special prosecutor to try Smollett. He was convicted in 2022 and sentenced to 150 days in jail with 30 months probation, but he appealed the decision and left prison after just six days after being imposed a $150,000 personal recognizance bond. If he needs a new project, we know of a Broadway musical where the experience of escaping a conviction in Chicago could be helpful.