Jussie Smollett's Conviction Overturned Amid Controversy and Comparisons
The Illinois Supreme Court overturned Jussie Smollett's conviction for orchestrating a hate-crime hoax, citing due process violations similar to those in Bill Cosby's case. Both cases involved prosecutors reneging on initial agreements, leading to convictions being overturned due to prosecutorial misconduct. Smollett's charges were initially dropped in exchange for community service, while Cosby was promised no prosecution in exchange for civil testimony, which was later used against him. Neither can be retried on these charges.