<div> <div> <p>The Illinois appeals court has upheld the conviction of actor Jussie Smollett for orchestrating a fake hate crime, with plans for an appeal to the Supreme Court underway.</p> <p><em>By yourNEWS Media Staff</em></p> <p>An Illinois appeals court has upheld the conviction of actor Jussie Smollett in a 2-1 decision, as detailed in court documents obtained by Fox News Digital. Justices David Navarro and Mary Ellen Coghlan agreed on the ruling, while Judge Freddrenna Lyle offered a dissenting opinion.</p> <p>Smollett’s representative, Holly Baird, emphasized the split decision and announced that Smollett’s legal team intends to appeal to the Supreme Court. Baird noted, “We are preparing to escalate this matter to the Supreme Court, armed with a substantial body of evidence.”</p> <p>Special Prosecutor Dan K. Webb responded to the appellate court’s decision, stating that it validated their work and marked a victory for justice. He commented, “Today’s decision is a validation of Winston &amp; Strawn’s tireless work on this matter and a resounding victory for justice.”</p> <p>The actor was previously convicted on five counts of disorderly conduct in a 2021 trial. Smollett, who is Black and openly gay, had reported to Chicago Police in January 2019 that he was the victim of a racist and homophobic assault. The case quickly turned into an investigation into Smollett himself, leading to his arrest for allegedly orchestrating the attack and lying to the police.</p> <p>Following his conviction, Smollett was sentenced to 150 days in jail, 30 months of felony probation, and was ordered to pay restitution of $120,106 to the city of Chicago, along with a $25,000 fine. Despite maintaining his innocence, Smollett began serving his jail sentence on March 10, 2022, but was released six days later pending his appeal.</p> <p>The Illinois Supreme Court will now decide whether to hear Smollett’s case. If the conviction stands, he will have to complete his 150-day jail sentence. Smollett’s legal team filed the initial appeal in March 2023, arguing that the renewed prosecution violated his due process rights and that the trial was biased against him. They also contended that comments made during cross-examination influenced the jury’s impartiality. Smollett’s lawyers have been planning to appeal the verdict since December 2021, with attorney Nenye Uche expressing concerns about the verdict’s consistency at the time.</p> </div> </div>
