Illinois Supreme Court overturns Smollett’s conviction for hate crime fraud, citing prosecutorial problems

The Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday overturned actor Jussie Smollett’s conviction for a 2019 assault on himself in Chicago and for lying to police about the incident, citing prosecutorial problems.

Smollett, who is African-American and gay, told police that two men shouted racist and homophobic slurs, put a noose around his neck and attacked him.

According to the Associated Press, Smollett appealed his conviction, arguing that the special prosecutor should not have been able to pursue the case after the Cook County state’s attorney dropped the charges against him.

The charges were dropped after the former “Empire” actor signed a non-prosecution agreement with the state attorney’s office.

Following the decision, Special Prosecutor Dan K. Webb made a statement.

“We are disappointed in the Illinois Supreme Court’s decision today to overturn Jussie Smollett’s conviction and sentence, including awarding more than $120,000 in damages to the City of Chicago for overtime expenses to investigate Mr. Smollett’s false hate crime,” he said.

“We respectfully disagree with the court’s factual and legal reasoning that overturns longstanding Illinois precedent. In fact, the Special Counsel’s brief to the Illinois Supreme Court was replete with Illinois case law that does not preclude a second, new prosecution after a dismissal without prejudice.” no investigation. “Even the Illinois Supreme Court agreed that today’s decision was not clear in previous Illinois decisions,” he added.