Racist hate-hoaxer Jussie Smollett is likely going back to jail after an Illinois appeals court upheld his conviction.
Smollett will need to complete his 150-day jail term, having only served 6 days behind bars.
JUST IN: Hoaxer Jussie Smollett lost his appeal and is going back to jail after an appeals court affirmed his disorderly conduct conviction.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 1, 2023
Good. Keep him there.
In December of 2021, Smollett was found guilty of 5 felony counts after he faked a hate crime to make Trump… pic.twitter.com/HozAXnfy40
The New York Post reported:
An appeals court on Friday upheld the disorderly conduct convictions of actor Jussie Smollett, who was accused of staging a racist, homophobic attack against himself in 2019 and then lying about it to Chicago police.
Smollett, who appeared in the TV show “Empire,” challenged the role of a special prosecutor, jury selection, evidence and many other aspects of the case. But all were turned aside in a 2-1 opinion from the Illinois Appellate Court.
Smollett had reported to police that he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack by two men wearing ski masks. The manhunt for the attackers soon turned into an investigation of Smollett himself, leading to his arrest on charges he had orchestrated the attack.
Authorities said he paid two men whom he knew from work on “Empire.”
A jury convicted Smollett in 2021 on five felony counts of disorderly conduct, a charge that can be filed in Illinois when a person lies to police.
He now will have to finish a 150-day stint in jail that was part of his sentence. Smollett spent just six days in jail while his appeal was pending.
In 2019, Smollett called 911 alleging that he was attacked by two men who yelled, “This is MAGA country!” He claimed they doused him in bleach and placed a “noose” around his neck, which he was still sporting during his discussion with investigators.
However, Smollett’s narrative crumbled upon identification of the assailants as Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo, Nigerian siblings. During Smollett’s trial, the brothers testified that the actor had paid them for the hate-hoax.
In December 2021, Smollett was found guilty on 5 counts of disorderly conduct, one count for each time he misled the police following the fabricated “attack.”
However, he was acquitted of a 6th count of lying to a detective.
In March 2022, a judge rebuked Jussie Smollett for his narcissism and hypocrisy, sentencing him to 150 days in jail. Additionally, Smollett received a 30-month probation term, a restitution order of $120,126, and a $25,000 fine.
“We wish to highlight that the decision was divided, with Justice Lyle offering a detailed analysis in favor of Smollett,” his rep told Fox News Digital. ”We are preparing to escalate this matter to the Supreme Court, armed with a substantial body of evidence.”
As Smollett’s team prepares for a Supreme Court appeal, the final outcome remains uncertain. Should the conviction stand, Smollett would have to complete the remainder of his jail term.
