Jussie Smollett is hoping the highest court in Illinois will be his savior after being indicted for a second time on hate crime fraud in 2019.
The struggling actor, best known for his time on the Fox drama series “Empire,” continues to argue against prosecutors’ decision to plead guilty to his false police report. He claimed his agreement with the Attorney General following his first plea should be honored and refused to accept a new sentence.
Jussie Smollett Claims Second Case Is Double Jeopardy
In new legal documents, Smollett filed an appeal with the Illinois Supreme Court, telling them he should not be charged twice for the same offense. He explained his first legal case for hate crime fraud in 2019 was dismissed by prosecutors after he accepted the terms of their agreement.
He allegedly accepted an offer from the Attorney General, stating that he would have to do community service and lose his ties to the City of Chicago so that his case would not be prosecuted. According to Smollett, the prosecutor said:
“After reviewing the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smollett’s volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago, the State’s motion regarding the indictment is to nolle pros. [not prosecute].”
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The prosecutor added, “We believe this verdict is a fair disposition and an appropriate resolution to this case.” The disgraced actor claimed he was charged a second time because the other party “overrode public objections” even though he fulfilled the terms of their agreement.
41 years old, per TMZinsisted that this second case should be considered double jeopardy because he was being charged with the same offense for which he had been convicted.
It remains to be seen whether his case with the Illinois Supreme Court will be Smollett’s saving grace, as trial judges and Illinois appeals courts have previously rejected his double jeopardy argument.
Jussie Smollett Enters Rehab Following ‘Extremely Difficult’ Year
Four months before asking the Illinois Supreme Court to honor the no-prosecution agreement, Smollett took the necessary steps to improve his mental health. A representative for the 41-year-old confirmed he entered a rehab facility last October, saying:
“Jussie had a very difficult time a few years ago. He has quietly been working hard for a long time and we are proud of him for taking these necessary steps.”
The source said Smollett is opting for outpatient treatment and will manage his mental health from the comfort of his home. Her “very difficult” years began in 2019 when she claimed she was the victim of racist and homophobic attacks.
After receiving many sympathies and cries for justice, the accused — The Osundairo brothers — came forward and testified against Smollett, saying that he had paid them to organize the attack.
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The aftermath saw the actor fall from grace and later found guilty on five of six counts of disorderly conduct for filing a false police report by a jury in December 2021. He was sentenced to 150 days in Cook County jail and 30 months of probation.
Additionally, Smollett was ordered to pay a $25,000 fine and $120,106 in restitution to the City of Chicago. However, after just six days in the Cook County Jail, he was released after posting a $150,000 personal recognizance bond.
‘Empire’ Co-Star Jussie Smollett Claims His Sentence Doesn’t Fit His Crime
Despite losing huge support to fake homophobic attacks, Taraji. P. Henson remains firmly in Smollett’s corner. The duo served as mother and son in the series “Empire”, with their relationship continuing off the famous set.
In a lengthy social media post, Henson compared the treatment of her co-star to the late Emmett Till and how those who lied about him got away with severe punishment. “I’m not here to argue with you about his innocence, but we can agree that the punishment doesn’t fit the crime,” he began, adding:
“Emmett Till was brutally beaten and eventually killed for lying, and none of the people involved in his death spent a day in jail, even after Carolyn Bryant admitted that her allegations were false.”
“No one was injured or killed during Jussie’s ordeal. He had lost everything, EVERYTHING! For me, as an artist, not being able to create is punishment enough in itself. He can’t get a job,” Henson argued.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
