Jussie Smollett’s Conviction Overturned in Alleged Hate Crime Hoax

variety.com:

Ellise Shafer Jussie Smollett‘s conviction in an alleged hate crime hoax was overturned on Thursday by the Illinois Supreme Court.

The “Empire” actor was convicted in December 2021 of five felony counts of disorderly conduct for allegedly staging a hate crime against himself and was sentenced the following year to 150 days in county jail, plus 30 months of probation and $130,000 in restitution.

In December 2023, a state appellate court rejected his bid for an appeal and it was ruled that he would have to serve his full sentence, six days of which he served before being freed pending appeal.

Earlier this year, the Illinois Supreme Court agreed to hear his appeal. In January 2019, Smollett told police he was attacked outside of his Chicago apartment building by two men who called him racist and homophobic slurs and placed a noose around his neck.