Illinois Supreme Court Overturns Jussie Smollett Conviction on Legal Technicality

The ruling cites double jeopardy concerns, while Smollett's former accomplices criticize his continued denial of guilt.

Jussie Smollett's 2021 conviction for staging a fake hate crime was overturned by the Illinois Supreme Court due to double jeopardy concerns.
The court ruled that Smollett should not have been prosecuted a second time after an initial deal with Cook County prosecutors dropped the charges in 2019.
The Osundairo brothers, who participated in the staged attack, criticized Smollett for refusing to admit guilt and labeled the initial dropped charges a 'sweetheart deal.'
Prosecutors emphasized that the ruling does not challenge the evidence or jury verdict from the 2021 trial, which found Smollett guilty of disorderly conduct.
The brothers, who have written a book and spoken publicly about the case, expressed a desire to move past the incident and continue their careers in acting and boxing.