Jussie Smollett conviction don take anoda turn as all di plot don twists for him long-running legal case

Jussie Smollett hate crime hoax case don take oda sharp and surprising turn. Di Illinois Supreme Court don overturn di Empire actor conviction on charges wey dem say e stage homophobic and racist attack against himself outside one Subway restaurant for Chicago for 2019 and then come lie to police about am.

Di court determine say Smollett no suppose dey charged second time for di same incident afta di initial charges against am bin don dismiss for agreement with Cook County prosecutors.

“We dey aware say dis case don generate significant public interest and many pipo dey dissatisfied with di resolution of di original case and believe say e dey unjust,” di ruling state.

“Nevertheless, wetin go dey more unjust than di resolution of any one criminal case go be to hold from dis court say di State no dey bound to honor agreements upon which pipo don seriously rely.”

Di ruling no address di validity of Smollett claim of innocence, according to di Associated Press.

E cite Bill Cosby case, refer to am as one wey di public also get “strong interest in” and involve in “enforcing prosecutorial promise say make dem no prosecute.”

Smollett, wey be Black and gay, claim say two men yell homophobic and racial slurs, splash am with bleach, put rope around him neck and assault am for city street. E claim talk,

“Dis na MAGA country.” High-profile search for di suspects dey, with two brothers, Abimbola “Bola” and Olabinjo “Ola” Osundairo, dey detained.

Prosecutors later claim say Smollett stage di attack, pay di Osundairos, wey be acquaintances of di actor.

Smollett dey prison at one point, but six days into 150-day sentence for 2022, dem release am pending him appeal, wey dem file for 2023, for di bizarre five-year legal saga.

Here be di memorable twists and turns.

Timeline of Smollett’s case

• Jan. 22, 2019: Smollett bin receive racist and homophobic threatening letter for di Chicago studio wia Empire dey tape. For di show, e play gay musician Jamal Lyon.
• Jan. 29, 2019: Smollett come report to police say e be victim of racist and homophobic attack for 2 a.m. while him bin dey out to buy food for sub-zero Chicago weather. Dem photograph am still dey wear di noose wey him allege di attacker put on am. E receive widespread public support for di alleged hate crime.
• Feb. 13, 2019: Chicago police take di Osundairos into custody upon dia return from trip to Naija and search for dia apartment. As him determine say di brothers sabi Smollett, and dem release dem.
• Feb. 15, 2019: As doubts dey raised about him story, Smollett give interview to Robin Roberts for Good Morning America. Him talk say him dey heartbroken say skepticism dey over him story. Roberts later talk say “red flags” dey during dia sit-down.
• Feb. 16, 2019: Police announce dia investigation, on which dem spend more than $130,000, don “shift” and dem want oda interview with Smollett.
• Feb. 20, 2019: Afta Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx recuse herself from di investigation, prosecutors charge Smollett with disorderly conduct and filing false police report. One Chicago Police spokesperson come talk say Smollett stage di attack bicos him no dey happy with him salary for Empire and think say publicity go boost him contract negotiations. Dem claim say dem get $3,500 check Smollett use to pay di Osundairos, wey e sabi. Dem obtain surveillance video wey show di brothers dey buy masks and rope as well as video of Smollett with di brothers dey do wetin dem claim na dry run of di attack two days prior.
• Feb. 21, 2019: Smollett come dey booked and dem bail am out.
• March 7, 2019: One Cook County grand jury return 16-count indictment charge Smollett with felony disorderly conduct.
• March 26, 2019: Di charges against Smollett, wey dem write off Empire, dem come drop. Prosecutors wey no give detailed explanation for why dem abandon di case talk say dem still believe Smollett fake di assault.

• Smollett, wey still maintain say him innocence, come agree say make di city keep him $10,000 bail and complete 16 hours of community service. Dem no make am apologize, wey come cause public wahala over him case, including di Chicago mayor and police department.
• April 11, 2019: Smollett sue by di city of Chicago to collect di money wey dem spend on di investigation.
• 23, 2019: One special prosecutor, Daniel K. Webb, wey dem appoint to take investigate why prosecutors decide to drop di charges against Smollett.
• 19, 2019: Smollett sue di city of Chicago for “humiliation” and “emotional distress.”
• 11, 2020: One grand jury return new six-count indictment against di actor.
• 24, 2020: Smollett appear for court and him come plead not guilty for di new charges of disorderly conduct and dem release am.
• June 12, 2020: Smollett try to get di case dismissed, citing double jeopardy, but one judge rule against am.
• 29, 2021: Smollett trial begin. Di Osundairo brothers testify against am, and Smollett testify for him own defense.
• 9, 2021: Dem find am guilty on five out of six counts of disorderly conduct say him lie give police.
• March 10, 2022: Dem sentence Smollett for 150 days for jail and come order am to pay back $120,106 to di city of Chicago and pay $25,000 fine. For di sentencing, him lawyers read letters of support from Alfre Woodard and Samuel L. Jackson, with plenty oda pipo. Smollett dramatically taken into custody as e yell, “I no dey suicidal.”
• March 16, 2022: Dem release am from jail afta just six days pending him appeal.
• March 2, 2023: Smollett legal team file him appeal. Dem argue say di trial judge wey scold Smollett for 30 minutes during di sentencing, call am “profoundly arrogant,” “selfish” and “narcissistic” say him make errors, say di sentence dey excessive and say Smollett second prosecution suppose dey barred under di “double jeopardy” principle. Di appeal suppose don file months earlier, but dem come grant five extensions.
• 19, 2023: Still out of jail pending appeal, Smollett begin outpatient rehab to take work through him “extremely difficult past few years.”
• March 13, 2024: Di Osundairo brothers give dia first interview for Fox Nation five-part docuseries Jussie Smollett: Anatomy of a Hoax. Dem claim say Bola one Empire extra become friends with Smollett. Dem go clubs and gay bathhouse togeda, watch TV for Smollett apartment and Bola go help train Smollett and come still help buy some things for di star, including marijuana. Bola claim say Smollett ask am to fake am like say him dey beat am up and shout slurs for am for one of dia plan wey Smollett outline step by step. E agree bicos e feel “indebted” to Smollett as him bin give am screen time for Empire. Di brothers talk say dem suppose pay dem $3,500 and extra $500 later.
• 17, 2024: Di Illinois Supreme Court hear di arguments for Smollett appeal.
• 28, 2024: Smollett, wey don continue to dey work and direct di 2021 film B-Boy Blues, come give rare interview to pipo, maintain him innocence and talk say, “I dey numb” and think say “no way” di public go believe “one stupid rumor” wey “haters” create say e stage di attack. While e dey wait for him appeal, e talk say e no go dwell for di past. “I suppose move forward,” e talk. “I must.”
• 21, 2024: Illinois highest court rule say Smollett rights dey violated wen di special prosecutor pursue charges bicos di Cook County state attorney don previously drop dem. Now him case don overturn.

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