Reputation-wise, it appears that Jussie Smollett’s (Star, Underground) 2021 conviction over his alleged fake assault on the streets of Chicago is largely behind the former Empire actor. However, the former U.S. Attorney appointed to the case, Dan Webb, insists that this decision doesn’t mean Smollett is innocent of falsely reporting a MAGA-connected hate crime in early 2019.
Deadline reports that, on Thursday, the Illinois Supreme Court overturned the legal consequences Smollett suffered due to the high profile incident. In the court’s opinion, special prosecutor Webb’s decision to retry Smollett violated his rights.
“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,” the court’s opinion reads, according to the Chicago Tribune. “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.”
In December 2021, a Chicago jury found Smollett guilty on five felony charges, including lying to the police about the alleged hate crime attack on the former Empire actor in 2019. Smollett claimed he was the victim of an assault in the early hours of January 29, 2019, by two men chanting “MAGA Country,” who later turned out to be personal trainers hired by the actor, as they spouted out racist and homophobic slurs and tossed a noose around his neck. In the initial outpoar of support for Smollett in the hours and days after the supposed attack, even then- president Donald Trump had some kind words for the actor.
Law enforcement officials later determined Smollett had orchestrated the attack himself and charged him with a crime.
Today, special prosecutor Webb blasted the ruling handed down.
“We are disappointed in the Illinois Supreme Court’s decision today to overturn Jussie Smollett’s convictions and sentence, including the award of over $120,000 in restitution to the City of Chicago for its overtime expenses in investigating Mr. Smollett’s fake hate crime,” Webb said. “We respectfully disagree with the Court’s factual and legal reasoning, which upends long-standing Illinois precedent.”
“Make no mistake—today’s ruling has nothing to do with Mr. Smollett’s innocence,” the ex-Iran Contra scandal lawyer went on to say. “The Illinois Supreme Court did not find any error with the overwhelming evidence presented at trial that Mr. Smollett orchestrated a fake hate crime and reported it to the Chicago Police Department as a real hate crime, or the jury’s unanimous verdict that Mr. Smollett was guilty of five counts of felony disorderly conduct.”
“Today’s ruling does not change how deeply proud I am of the work my Special Prosecutor’s office accomplished; nor does it undermine the jury’s verdict, and most importantly, it does not clear Jussie Smollett’s name—he is not innocent.”
Read the rest of Special Prosecutor Webb’s statement here.