On June 12, Cook County Judge James Linn ruled that Jussie Smollett's new criminal charges do not violate his right against double jeopardy, The Chicago Tribune reported.
Linn said that the end to Smollett's case last yearin which the actor entered an informal arrangement to forfeit his $10,000 bond, with no admission of wrongdoing, in exchange for his charges being droppedis notcriminal punishment.
In addition, Linn said that Smollett's new case was brought after a different judge, Michael Toomin, ruled that the first prosecution was void because Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx improperly recused herself.
In February, a special Cook County grand jury indicted Smollett on six counts of disorderly conduct alleging he orchestrated a racist and homophobic attack on himself in downtown Chicago on Jan. 29, 2019.
The legal principle of double jeopardy protects defendants from being tried twice for the same crime. However, it usually only applies if someone begins a trial or pleads guilty, according to legal experts.