Jussie Smollett Faces Jail Time as Hoax Hate Crime Conviction Upheld. Jussie Smollett, who played “Empire,” will return to jail after an appeals court judge affirmed his disorderly conduct conviction for staging a bogus hate crime against himself in 2019. Smollett’s legal team challenged evidence, jury selection, and the appointment of a special prosecutor, but the Illinois Appellate Court dismissed all objections in a 2-1 verdict, ending his legal struggles.
Dan Webb, the special prosecutor, said Smollett’s 150-day sentence, of which he had spent six days, will be enforced. Webb stated, “This is pretty much the end of the road for Mr. Smollett… He can try to go up to the higher court, the Illinois Supreme Court.
That’s a discretionary appeal that would be determined if the Illinois Supreme Court wants to hear his issues. But if that doesn’t happen, then he’s hit the end of the road, and he would shortly be in jail.”
Jussie Smollett Faces Jail Time as Hoax Hate Crime Conviction Upheld. “The moral of this story is that there are not two systems of justice. One for the rich, famous, and movie stars and for everybody else,” Webb emphasized, adding that Smollett faces the same justice system as anyone else.
However, the validity of Webb’s assertion that there is no disparity in the justice system has sparked debate, especially given the socio-economic and racial inequities often observed in legal outcomes. The statement comes at a time when discussions around systemic biases within the justice system are prevalent.
Smollett’s spokesperson expressed intentions to continue fighting the decision, highlighting the dissenting opinion of Justice Freddrenna Lyle. Lyle argued that it was “fundamentally unfair” to appoint a special prosecutor and charge Smollett, considering he had already completed community service as part of a 2019 deal to drop initial charges.
“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,” the statement from Smollett’s camp read.
“Under Illinois law, he has one right of appeal, that’s what he had today. The Illinois Appellate Court denied all his issues. He can try to go up to the higher court, the Illinois Supreme Court. That’s a discretionary appeal that would be determined if the Illinois Supreme Court wants to hear his issues. But if that doesn’t happen, then he’s hit the end of the road and he would shortly be in jail.” – Dan Webb, Special Prosecutor
While Lyle asserted that Smollett was seeking a complete resolution of the matter, Webb countered, stating that the evidence against the actor was “overwhelming,” leading to convictions on five out of six counts. He said Smollett had a fair trial and exhausted his legal options.
After the news broke, social media was abuzz with thoughts on the justice served and the case’s complexities.
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