Jussie Smollett’s conviction overturned in 2019 ‘hate hoax’ attack

Jussie Smollett’s conviction was overturned Thursday by the Illinois Supreme Court successful transportation with the staged 2019 “hate hoax” onslaught against him.

The state’s highest tribunal ruled that Smollett’s lawsuit should person ended erstwhile county prosecutors dropped the charges against him successful speech for assemblage work and a $10,000 payment.

When a special authoritative was brought in and recharged Smollett, starring to his conviction, that violated Smollett’s Fifth Amendment rights against treble jeopardy, according to the court.

Smollett, 42, has maintained his innocence passim the full case. The “Empire” star, who is Black and gay, claimed helium was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack arsenic helium walked done downtown Chicago connected Jan. 29, 2019.

Investigators yet determined that Smollett paid 2 brothers — Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo — to signifier the attack, telephone him radical and homophobic slurs and flip a noose astir his neck.

Both brothers yet testified against Smollett astatine his December 2021 trial, and helium was convicted connected 5 counts of disorderly behaviour and sentenced to 150 days successful prison. But Smollett continued to entreaty his case, and helium lone served six days earlier a justice released him connected appeal.

Olabinjo Osundairo, left, and Abimbola Osundairo look connected “Hannity,” astatine Fox News Studios, Thursday, March 16, 2023, successful New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

The initial lawsuit against Smollett was dropped successful March 2019 by Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx. Prosecutors said they chopped a woody with Smollett’s defence squad successful speech for him performing 16 hours of assemblage work and forfeiting his $10,000 bond.

The determination drew uproar from the community, starring to the appointment of peculiar authoritative Dan Webb — who erstwhile famously deposed President Ronald Reagan implicit the Iran-Contra affair. In February 2020, Webb refiled charges against Smollett, starring to his eventual conviction.

But the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that Webb’s assignment and the second probe ne'er should person happened aft the archetypal deal.

“What would beryllium much unjust than the solution of immoderate 1 transgression lawsuit would beryllium a holding from this tribunal that the authorities was not bound to grant agreements upon which radical person detrimentally relied,” the justices wrote.

With News Wire Services