Embattled out gay actor Jussie Smollett could soon be back behind bars after an Illinois appeals court backed the ex-Empire actor's disorderly conduct convictions stemming from a faked 2019 hate crime and lying to Chicago cops, Deadline reported.
On Dec. 1, the Illinois Appellate Court ruled against Smollett two to one, NPR noted.
Smollett had reported to police that he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack by two men wearing ski masks while in Chicago's Streeterville neighborhood. The search for the attackers soon turned into an investigation of Smollett himself, and he was eventually arrested on charges he had masterminded the whole thing.
A jury convicted Smollett in 2021 on five felony counts of disorderly conducta charge that can be filed in Illinois when a person lies to police. He now will have to finish a 150-day sentence in jail that was part of his sentence. Smollett spent just six days in jail while his appeal was pending. He was also sentenced to 30 months of probation.
Smollett will likely go back to jail unless the Illinois Supreme Court grants him a new and successful appeal immediately.
Andrew Davis