Jussie Smollett finally appeals his conviction stemming from 2019 hate-crime hoax

Nearly a year after being sentenced to 150 days in jail for lying to police about orchestrating a hate crime against himself, former “Empire” star Jussie Smollett has officially filed to appeal his December 2021 conviction. Attorneys for the 40-year-old actor on Wednesday filed an appellant brief and argument in Illinois 1st District Appellate Court to grant Smollett a new trial with a new judge, arguing that the trial court “committed reversible error” when processing his case and was “excessive” in its sentencing. “If Mr. Smollett’s convictions are allowed to stand, this case will set a dangerous precedent by giving prosecutors a second bite at the apple any time there is dissatisfaction with another prosecutor’s exercise of discretion,” his attorneys wrote in the brief and argument, which was posted online on the appellate court’s website. Smollett’s legal team also cited several other issues in the 102-page document, alleging that the prosecution was dismissive of the defense’s questioning that sought to establish homophobia in the case, arbitrarily enforced COVID-19 protocols during the trial, dismissed Black and gay potential jurors and should not have allowed Smollett’s full bombshell “Good Morning America” interview to play during jury deliberations.