Back in 2021, California-born actor Jussie Smollett was convicted of five counts of disorderly conduct. He was charged for accusing two men of attacking him in Chicago, which was later found to be a hoax. Now, Smollett will have an opportunity to plead his case before the Illinois Supreme Court in an attempt to get his conviction overturned.
Smollett has previously argued that he shouldn't face further prosecution after Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx dropped his case. Following his conviction, he was sentenced to 150 days behind bars. He served only six days in jail before being released. He was additionally ordered to pay the city $120K in restitution, a $25K fine, and serve 30 months of probation. The scandal also cost him his role in Empire.
Jussie Smollett Maintains His Innocence
Smollett has maintained his innocence since allegedly staging the hate crime alongside two former Empire extras, Ola and Bola Osundairo. He's been accused of orchestrating the 2019 hoax in an effort to bolster his career in entertainment. In December of 2023, a panel of three judges voted 2-1 to uphold Smollett's conviction in an Illinois appeals court. This meant that Smollett would have to serve the remainder of his 150-day sentence or bring his appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court.
Jussie Smollett's name was most recently thrust back into headlines when Scottie Beam slammed Joe Budden for his controversial takes on the actor. She accused him of giving her a hard time for refusing to call him a "fa**ot" before having "all the info." What do you think of Jussie Smollett maintaining his innocence? What about the actor being allowed to plead his case before the Illinois Supreme Court? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.