Jussie Smollett’s conviction overturned in alleged hate-crime hoax: How we got here and what’s next

(CNN) — Nearly six years after actor Jussie Smollett was accused of staging a hate-crime hoax in downtown Chicago and lying to police, the Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday overturned his conviction over prosecutorial issues.The court ruled that after Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx dropped charges against the former “Empire” actor, a special prosecutor should not have been allowed to intervene.“We are aware that this case has generated significant public interest and that many people were dissatisfied with the resolution of the original case and believed it to be unjust,” Justice Elizabeth M. Rochford wrote in the court’s 5-0 decision, with two justices abstaining.“Because the initial charges were dismissed as part of an agreement with defendant and defendant performed his part of the agreement, the second prosecution was barred,” said Rochford.Smollett’s case that unfolded in early 2019 saw a shift from widespread sympathy that soon turned into skepticism – and his character being written off the Fox television show – as emerging details led to questions regarding the actor’s claims about what unfolded during the alleged attack.This week’s ruling did not address Smollett’s claims of innocence, which he has maintained since 2019, according to his legal team.Nenye Uche, Smollett’s...