Jussie Smollett’s Charges Overturned In Monumental Four Year Legal Battle
In 2019, the country was shocked to hear about an alleged hate crime that fell upon beloved actor, Jussie Smollett. Even more shocking, further investigation uncovered evidence that Smollett was behind the incident, likely to garner public attention. Following a four-year legal battle, a state Supreme Court overturned Jussie Smollett’s Charges. Many are outraged at Jussie Smollett’s charges being overturned despite the court’s decision.
Jessie Smollett’s Alleged Hate Crime Hoax
Smollett’s monumental legal battle started after a reported hate crime he experienced in 2019. According to police reports made by the celebrity, two men attacked him in downtown Chicago. Smollett described how the men assaulted him, yelled slurs at him, and even put a noose around his neck. Allegedly, the men exclaimed that he was in “MAGA country,” referring to the slogan used during Donald Trump’s presidential campaign during the time.
Police immediately responded to the issue, starting an investigation to find the suspects. Following an in-depth manhunt, police identified two men: Abimbola and Olabinjo Usundairo. After taking the suspects in for questioning, the case became even more confusing for officers. According to Abimbola and Olabinjo, Smollett paid them $3,500 to help stage the assault.
Smollett’s First Court Hearing
After police learned that Smollett may have played a role in the fabrication of the hate crime, they charged him with disorderly conduct and filing a false police report. His first court hearing was what some would refer to as a media circus. Celebrities ranging from well-known actors and singers to Donald Trump himself commented on the incident. Likewise, the evidence brought against him in the courtroom was controversial in itself. Sources claim that law enforcement officials argued that his motive was to garner attention so that he could acquire a higher salary for his position in the hit TV show, Empire.
Regardless of his motives, Smollett worked out an agreement with the prosecutors. After a few months of deliberation, Smollett’s charges were dropped. In their original statement, his lawyers asserted that the prosecution was a vindictive effort to vilify someone who was arguably a victim.
Many people were displeased by this resolution, including law enforcement and the mayor of Chicago. The mayor made a statement at the time calling the situation a “whitewash of justice”. Likewise, he expressed his disappointment to see Smollett drag the city’s reputation “through the mud”. Law enforcement event went as far as to charge Smollett a $130,000 fine to cover the hours of overtime spent to investigate the hoax crime. In the end, the city even started an action to sue Smollett for the fine after he initially refused to pay.
Jussie Smollett’s Charges Overturned: Supreme Court Decision
Following the initial court case, special prosecutor, Dan Webb began an internal investigation of Smollett’s court process. By 2020, Webb made a movement to charge Smollett with six counts of disorderly conduct. The jury decided he was guilty of five out of six of his charges. As a result, the judge sentenced him to 150 days of jail time as well as a $130,000 restitution payment.
After serving just six days of his sentence, he was released for a pending appeal submitted by his lawyers. Between the time he was released in 2022 and the resolution of his case in 2024, his lawyers worked tirelessly to get Smollett’s charges overturned. The matter was ultimately brought to the state’s Supreme Court. After looking over the case, the judges agreed that the second set of charges was unjust.
The judges gave a statement after making their decision. They said, “We are aware that this case has generated significant public interest and that many people were dissatisfied with the resolution of the original case and believed it to be unjust”.
They also added, “Nevertheless, what would be more unjust than the resolution of any one criminal case would be a holding from this court that the State was not bound to honor agreements upon which people have detrimentally relied.”
Moving foreward, Smollett has officially been absolved of his charges, both from his initial and second court sentences. Despite the public outcry, legal authorities argue that it is unjust for someone to be tried for a crime after they have already organized a settlement agreement.
Who Is Jussie Smollett
Jussie Smollett is an American actor and singer who started his career during his early childhood. Popularly, he was most well known for his role in the hit children’s movie, Mighty Ducks. Moving foreward in his career, Smollett booked more roles, gaining increasing attention in the acting world. Shortly after the release of his solo album, he booked a major role on the TV show, Empire.
During its release, Empire gained incredible popularity due to its unique subject matter. With the main story focusing on a business mogul who is forced to decide which of his three sons will take over his media Empire. Jussie’s character became a groundbreaking icon of LGBTQ+ representation, helping him gain a large following in just a few years.