Jussie Smollett’s conviction in his hate crime hoax case has been overturned by the Illinois Supreme Court, as reported by TMZ. The decision, announced on Thursday, November 21st, brings an end to a contentious legal battle. Smollett’s attorney, Nenye Uche, shared his reaction to the ruling, stating, “Obviously, we’re ecstatic, we’re happy. But really, my position is, it shouldn’t have gone this far. This prosecution was not a prosecution, it was a persecution. […] One thing I want to really emphasize here is this was not a divided court. This was a unanimous decision. […] [Smollett] was very pleasantly surprised.”
The court’s ruling spares Smollett from serving his original 150-day jail sentence, imposed in 2022 for allegedly staging a hate crime against himself. Instead, the court focused on an earlier deal struck between Smollett and State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, which required him to forfeit his $10,000 bond and complete 15 hours of community service. Having fulfilled these terms, the court ruled he should not have been prosecuted again. Smollett previously received a 30-month probation sentence as part of the overturned conviction.
“The State is bound by the agreement,” the Illinois Supreme Court wrote, emphasizing the importance of honoring plea deals. Notably, the court did not weigh in on the details of the allegations but instead centered its decision on the validity of the original agreement.
While this legal victory is a significant relief for Smollett, it comes amid troubling news for his family. Reports indicate that two men recently attempted to break into his mother’s Los Angeles home. However, she confronted them, and they fled the scene.
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