Embattled actor Jussie Smollett has asked the Illinois Supreme Court to review and overturn an appellate ruling upholding his conviction for a hate-crime hoax that took place more than five years ago, The Chicago Sun-Times noted.
"What should have been a straightforward case has been complicated by the intersection of politics and public outrage," Smollett's attorneys wrote in a court filing. The lawyers also claim Smollett is protected against double jeopardy, saying he was already punished after turning over his bond and performing community service.
In January 2019, Smollett claimed he was attacked by two men who beat him, poured bleach on him and hung a noose around his neck. Even though some believed the alleged attackers were supporters of then-President Donald Trump, during the trial, prosecutors showed video of Smollett picking up the men who attacked him in his SUV. Smollett was sentenced to five months in jail but was released after six days while he appealed the guilty verdict and accompanying sentence.
In December 2023, two members of a three-judge panel of the state appellate court affirmed the initial sentence, with Justice Fredrenna Lyle dissenting.
Andrew Davis