Jussie Smollett and City of Chicago Reach Settlement Agreement After Hate Crime Hoax Conviction Overturned

Jussie Smollett, the actor embroiled in a years-long legal battle stemming from a reported hate crime that authorities later deemed a hoax, has reached a settlement agreement with the city of Chicago, Fox News Digital has confirmed. While the final paperwork is still pending, the agreement marks a significant turn in the case that has captivated national attention and sparked heated debates about race, justice, and the power of public narrative.

The settlement comes roughly five months after the Illinois Supreme Court overturned Smollett’s conviction on charges related to staging the alleged hate crime. The details of the agreement remain shrouded in secrecy, with neither party releasing information about the terms. Fox News Digital has reached out to Smollett’s representatives for comment but has yet to receive a response. A court notice filed on Monday indicates that both parties are scheduled to meet again in court on May 29, presumably to finalize the settlement and formally close the case.

The saga began in January 2019 when Smollett, who is Black and openly gay, reported to Chicago police that he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack. He claimed that two men wearing ski masks accosted him, shouted racial and homophobic slurs, beat him, poured an unknown chemical substance on him, and placed a noose around his neck. The incident ignited outrage and sparked widespread support for Smollett, with many denouncing the alleged attack as a manifestation of deep-seated prejudice and hate in American society.

However, the investigation soon took a dramatic turn as police began to suspect that Smollett had orchestrated the attack himself. Detectives uncovered evidence suggesting that Smollett had paid two brothers, Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo, to stage the assault. The Osundairo brothers, who had previously worked as extras on the television show "Empire," on which Smollett starred, reportedly confessed to their involvement and implicated Smollett in the scheme.

In 2021, Smollett was convicted on five felony counts of disorderly conduct for filing false police reports about the alleged attack. The conviction led to a sentence of 150 days in county jail, although he was released after serving only a fraction of his sentence pending appeal.

The case against Smollett has been controversial from the outset, marked by procedural irregularities and accusations of political interference. Initially, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx recused herself from the case after it was revealed that she had communicated with Smollett’s family about the investigation. However, critics argued that Foxx’s office mishandled the case, ultimately dropping the charges against Smollett in exchange for community service and the forfeiture of his $10,000 bond.

This decision sparked a public outcry, with many accusing Foxx of giving Smollett preferential treatment due to his celebrity status. A special prosecutor was subsequently appointed to review the case, leading to a new indictment against Smollett. The special prosecutor’s decision to retry Smollett on charges that had already been dismissed fueled accusations of double jeopardy and vindictive prosecution.

Smollett’s legal team argued that the state had violated his Fifth Amendment rights by prosecuting him twice for the same crime. They pointed to the initial agreement with the Cook County state’s attorney’s office, which they characterized as a "nolle prosequi" agreement, or non-prosecution agreement. Under this agreement, Smollett had been told he could perform community service, forfeit his bond, and the case would be dismissed, similar to a deferred prosecution. They contended that the subsequent indictment violated the terms of this agreement and subjected Smollett to double jeopardy.

The Illinois Supreme Court ultimately agreed with Smollett’s argument, overturning his conviction in November 2023. In its ruling, the court emphasized the state’s responsibility to honor agreements it makes with defendants. "Specifically, we address whether a dismissal of a case by nolle prosequi allows the State to bring a second prosecution when the dismissal was entered as part of an agreement with the defendant and the defendant has performed his part of the bargain. We hold that a second prosecution under these circumstances is a due process violation, and we therefore reverse defendant’s conviction," the court wrote in its decision.

The overturning of Smollett’s conviction was hailed by his legal team as a victory for the rule of law. "This was not a prosecution based on facts, rather it was a vindictive persecution and such a proceeding has no place in our criminal justice system," said attorney Nenye Uche in a statement. "Ultimately, we are pleased that the rule of law was the big winner today. We are thankful to the Illinois Supreme Court for restoring order to Illinois’ criminal law jurisprudence."

Despite the legal victory, the Smollett case continues to be a source of controversy and division. Some believe that Smollett was wrongly accused and subjected to a politically motivated prosecution, while others remain convinced of his guilt and believe that he should be held accountable for his actions. The details of the settlement agreement between Smollett and the city of Chicago may shed further light on the case and potentially offer some measure of closure to the parties involved. However, the broader implications of the case, particularly regarding issues of race, justice, and public perception, are likely to continue to be debated for years to come. The case serves as a stark reminder of the complexities of the criminal justice system and the challenges of navigating issues of race, identity, and power in the public arena.