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yesterday

Jussie Smollett Reiterates Innocence, Pins Blame on Chicago Officials Ahead of Netflix Documentary

New interviews timed to the Netflix documentary challenge the narrative around his vacated conviction by highlighting his allegations against Chicago officials alongside legal experts’ insistence that the reversal was procedural

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Overview

  • In a Variety interview ahead of the Aug. 22 Netflix documentary, Smollett reiterated his claim that he was the victim of a hate crime and accused the Chicago Police Department and former Mayor Rahm Emanuel of conspiring against him.
  • The Truth About Jussie Smollett? premieres Aug. 22 on Netflix and invites viewers to weigh competing accounts through interviews with law enforcement officials, journalists, lawyers and Smollett himself.
  • His 2021 conviction for filing false police reports was overturned by the Illinois Supreme Court on due-process grounds in November 2024, but special prosecutor Dan Webb and others emphasize that the ruling did not establish his factual innocence.
  • Attorneys for the Osundairo brothers, who testified they helped stage the attack, say their clients’ testimony remains consistent and insist Smollett must come clean to rebuild his credibility.
  • The renewed spotlight on the case coincides with Smollett’s career comeback efforts, including a role on Fox’s Special Forces and upcoming music releases.