Jussie Smollett’s Conviction Upheld by Illinois Appeals Court
Jussie Smollett, the former “Empire” actor, is likely to return to jail after an Illinois appeals court upheld his disorderly conduct convictions on December 1, 2023. Smollett was found guilty of five felony counts of disorderly conduct in December 2021 for making a false report to the police about being a victim of a hate crime in 2019. The actor had appealed his conviction, but the Illinois Appellate Court rejected his challenges in a 2-1 decision.
Smollett had initially reported to the Chicago Police Department that he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack in January 2019. However, the investigation turned towards Smollett himself, leading to his arrest on charges of orchestrating the attack. Authorities found that Smollett paid two men he knew from work on “Empire” to stage the incident.
After being found guilty, Smollett was sentenced to 30 months of probation, with the first 150 days to be served in jail. He was also ordered to pay a $25,000 fine and $120,106 in restitution to the city of Chicago. Smollett spent six days in jail before being released pending the result of his appeal.
Smollett’s lawyers can still appeal the decision to the Illinois Supreme Court. If the appeal is unsuccessful, Smollett will have to complete the 150-day jail sentence initially given to him in 2022.
