Jussie Smollett has lost his appeal for fabricating a violent hate crime against himself. An appeals panel ruled 2-1 against Smollett, meaning his original 150-day prison sentence will be upheld. However, Smollett announced in the hours after the verdict that he wasn't done fighting. "We wish to highlight that the decision was divided, with Justice Lyle offering a detailed analysis in favor of Smollett. We are preparing to escalate this matter to the Supreme Court, armed with a substantial body of evidence," a representative for Smollett said.
While he waited on his verdict, Smollett entered rehab. Representatives for Jussie Smollett have told TMZ that the actor entered rehab in mid-October to address unspecified issues. "Jussie has had an extremely difficult past few years. He has quietly been working very hard for some time now and we are proud of him for taking these necessary steps," a statement from his team read. Furthermore, the outlet was told that Smollett is in an outpatient program. However, many viewed the move as an attempt to garner sympathy ahead of his appeal verdict.
Jussie Smollett "Attackers" Criticize Rehab Move
Some of the most vocal critics of Smollett's rehab timing were the two men he hired to attack him. Ola and Bola Osundario spoke with TMZ, the brothers said that Smollett had a problem that required rehab, he should have checked himself in a long time, not when his court ruling was imminent. Furthermore, the brothers argued that the rehab move is a sympathy play. They believe Smollett is trying to earn house arrest rather than being sent to prison. It's unknown when Smollett left rehab.
However, Smollett's decision to elevate his case to the Supreme Court complicates matters. It's unclear if he will be remanded into custody while his latest, and likely final, appeal plays out. Furthermore, the timeline of when his case would be heard by the Illinois Supreme Court is also unknown. This remains a developing story and we'll have any updates as and when they emerge.
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