Jussie Smollett's conviction upheld by Illinois appeals court
'Empire' actor Jussie Smollett was convicted of staging a hate crime after a 2021 trial.
By Lauryn Overhultz , Chris Pandolfo Fox News
Published December 1, 2023 12:44pm EST
An Illinois appeals court upheld actor Jussie Smollett's conviction for a staged hate crime in an opinion filed Friday.
The decision was 2-1, with Justice David Navarro and Justice Mary Ellen Coghlan agreeing. Judge Freddrenna Lyle dissented, according to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital.
Smollett's legal team will file an appeal with the Supreme Court.
"We wish to highlight that the decision was divided, with Justice Lyle offering a detailed analysis in favor of Smollett," his rep Holly Baird told Fox News Digital."We are preparing to escalate this matter to the Supreme Court, armed with a substantial body of evidence."
Special Prosecutor Dan. K. Webb shared a statement following the appellate court's decision to uphold the conviction.
"As the appellate court noted, Mr. Smollett ‘challenge[d] virtually every aspect of’ the prosecution, and the appellate court correctly rejected each and every one of those challenges," Webb said. "Today’s decision is a validation of Winston & Strawn’s tireless work on this matter and a resounding victory for justice. We are proud to have prevailed in a case that, we believe, can help restore the public’s confidence in the Cook County justice system."
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