Jussie Smollett's Criminal Conviction Appeal to be Heard by Illinois Supreme Court

Actor Jussie Smollett's appeal of his criminal conviction will now be heard in the Illinois Supreme Court, as the court has approved his appeal.

Smollett has been appealing his conviction since a jury found him guilty of lying to police about a hate crime he claimed he had been a victim of. Despite being sentenced to 150 days in jail, he served only 6 days behind bars before being released as his appeal progressed through the court system.

Initially, Smollett suffered a setback in an Illinois appeals court, where a 3-judge panel upheld his conviction, stating that the jury's decision was justified.

Smollett's appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court revolves around his claim that he had a deal with prosecutors, which he believed would protect him from prosecution if he signed up for their terms. However, the special prosecutor argued that the deal Smollett thought he had did not protect him from further charges, and he also contended that double jeopardy does not apply in this case.

The Illinois Supreme Court's decision to hear Smollett's appeal indicates that they are willing to review his case and make a final ruling on the matter.