Jussie Smollett's attorneys appeal convictions in court

CHICAGO - The crusade of actor Jussie Smollett landed in the Illinois Appellate Court in Chicago today.

Judges heard arguments for less than an hour contesting Smollett's 2021 convictions for staging a racist, homophobic attack on himself in 2019 and filing a false police report.

Smollett maintained he had no part in the planning or execution of an alleged attack on him on a cold night outside his Streeterville apartment. Investigators said he staged it with two men he knew from the "Empire" television show he was filming in Chicago. 

In 2021, he was convicted on five counts of disorderly conduct, sentenced to 150 days in jail, 30 months felony probation and restitution. It’s believed his courtroom statements caused Judge James Linn to give Smollett a harsh sentence.

In the appeal, Smollett’s attorneys pointed out he already had a deal with Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, who dropped the original charges.

After the hearing, Smollett and his attorneys did not make any comments. They went out another door through an alley and walked out of court.

In court, Smollett's attorney said that the case was final the first time that charges were dropped and it never should have gone to trial. He led off by saying that public outrage against the defendant should not outweigh the rule of law. 

Now, the appellate court will issue a ruling, possibly in a few weeks.