Illinois
Jussie Smollett lawyers ask Illinois Supreme Court to overturn verdict that he falsely claimed hate crime
Lawyers for Jussie Smollett asked the Illinois Supreme Court Tuesday to overturn a jury’s 2021 guilty verdict that found the actor lied to Chicago police when he falsely claimed he was the victim of a hate crime.
During the actor’s trial, special prosecutors accused Smollett of staging the attack for publicity because he was unhappy with his salary for his role on the hit television show “Empire” and was attempting to launch a music career.
The jury found the actor guilty of five counts of disorderly conduct, and he was sentenced to 30 months of probation, with the first 150 days to be served at Cook County Jail.
At the heart of Smollett’s argument is whether the Cook County state’s attorney’s office had earlier entered into a binding agreement not to prosecute Smollett because he voluntarily agreed to forfeit his $10,000 bond and perform community service.
Defense attorney Nenye Uche told the justices Tuesday that because Smollett’s attorneys and the government reached the deal together, it should be considered a contractual non-prosecution agreement — regardless of whether that term had been used in court.
Short of reversing the jury’s verdict, Uche asked the justices to alternatively send the case back to the trial court for an evidentiary hearing to determine if a binding agreement had been reached.
Special prosecutors countered that the original agreement was honored when Smollett’s first case was dropped by prosecutors through a motion for “nolle prosequi” — a legal term when the state has decided to no longer prosecute.
But dropping the case doesn’t prevent prosecutors from being able to refile charges, Special Prosecutor Sean Weiber told the justices.
Justice Elizabeth Rochford questioned that argument, asking why Smollett would agree to voluntarily forfeit his bond if he thought he could be recharged.
“If the words nolle pros are used, regardless of the other circumstances … then a defendant should be cautioned that the reinstatement is always a possibility?” Rochford asked.
Weiber argued the answer was yes, citing “40 years of legal precedent” and that Smollett’s experienced team of lawyers knew the difference.
In Smollett’s case, he argued, there was nothing that would have dismissed the case “with prejudice” — meaning a judge says the charges can’t be refiled — because Smollett neither admitted guilt nor was deprived of his liberty.
Rochford later returned the question to Uche, asking about the argument that the “terms used were nolle pros, he voluntarily forfeited the money and that when he walked out, he should have been well aware that those charges could be re-brought?”
“Mr. Smollett isn’t an attorney,” Uche responded. “He shouldn’t be punished for any misapprehension or drafting, secretarial errors that were done on this particular agreement. The prosecutor should not hide behind technicalities.”
Last year, a divided appellate court panel affirmed the actor’s conviction in a 2-1 decision after considering similar arguments. A dissent from Justice Freddrenna Lyle sided with Smollett that there was evidence the state had entered into an agreement.
“The majority contends that there is no evidence in the State’s agreement that the parties intended for the agreement to be tantamount to a dismissal with prejudice. I disagree,” Lyle wrote.
The state Supreme Court agreed to hear the case in March.
In his closing argument, Weiber asked the justices to finally bring an end to the case, noting it has been 2,048 days since the “underlying incident.”
“He was caught,” Weiber said. “He was convicted.”
In January 2019, Smollett called police to report he was attacked by two Trump supporters who beat him, doused him with a bleach-like substance and placed a thin rope noose around his neck as he walked home from a Subway sandwich shop.
His story quickly fell apart as police launched an expansive investigation that consumed thousands of hours of manpower, officials said.
Smollett was charged by State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, who later announced she would recuse herself after it was revealed she had helped facilitate conversations between Smollett’s family and the Chicago Police Department.
Months later, the state’s attorney’s office decided to drop the charges — a decision that led to significant public outcry.
It led a judge to appoint Dan Webb as a special prosecutor to review the decision to drop charges against Smollett. Webb determined the state’s attorney office had committed “substantial abuses of discretion and operational failures,” and he ultimately brought new charges in an indictment against Smollett.
Smollett served less than a week of that sentence before he was released while appealing his case.
DU QUOIN, Ill. — Thomas Meseraull used late-race heroics to earn his 10th career feature win while battling inside the Southern Illinois Center with the POWRi National Midget League on Saturday night.
Meseraull led the final 10 laps of the feature honoring industry icon Junior Knepper at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds.
High-point qualifier Zach Daum and fast-timer Brylee Kilmer battled as the green flag waved, with Daum gaining the initial advantage on the opening lap as Trey Marcham, Meseraull, Daniel Robinson and Kilmer all kept pace inside the early top five.
Leading steadily, Daum would appear in fine form inside the Southern Illinois Center as the laps ticked away, with Meseraull, Marham, Frank Flud, Robinson, Christopher Bell, Chris Andrews, Corbin Rueschenberg,and Kole Kirkman contending.
Using precision driving through lapped traffic, Meseraull would strike for the top spot with only 10 laps remaining as Daum stayed within striking distance while keeping Marcham, Flud and Daniel Robinson at bay.
Holding steady over a late-race restart, Meseraull would not be denied in earning his second POWRi National Midget feature win inside the Southern Illinois Center over the past three years.
“This Ford was hooked up and ripping’ tonight,” said Meseraull. “Feels great to finally get it done in 2025 after having a rough year. This place can turn into bumper cars, and you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do to get it done here.”
Remaining up front early-leader of 30 laps, Daum would place runner-up with Marcham finalizing the podium placements. Hard-charging from starting 19th, Kyle Jones finished fourth, with Robinson fifth.
The finish:
Feature (40 Laps): 1. 7S-Thomas Meseraull[3]; 2. 5D-Zach Daum[1]; 3. 32-Trey Marcham[5]; 4. 7TX-Kyle Jones[19]; 5. 57-Daniel Robinson[7]; 6. 81F-Frank Flud[6]; 7. 95-Chris Andrews[10]; 8. 6-Brylee Kilmer[4]; 9. 17R-Rylan Gray[15]; 10. 14J-Wout Hoffmans[22]; 11. 23-Devon Dobie[17]; 12. 77J-John Klabunde[21]; 13. 67-Kole Kirkman[8]; 14. 15V-Cole Vanderheiden[12]; 15. 15-RJ Corson[16]; 16. 23T-Ashton Thompson[13]; 17. 26-Corbin Rueschenberg[14]; 18. 21-Christopher Bell[9]; 19. 7G-Parker Perry[11]; 20. 2F-Casey Friedrichsen[20]; 21. 4-Kale Drake[2]; 22. 71C-Gunnar Pike[18]
Illinois
Illinois State defeats Villanova in the 2025 FCS playoff semifinals, advances to national title
Illinois State dominated Villanova on the road from start to finish en route to a 30-14 FCS semifinal win.
Illinois State set the tone early with a 53-yard bomb to star wide receiver Daniel Sobkowicz who finished with seven catches for 97 yards and two touchdowns. His second touchdown put the Redbirds up 21-6 entering halftime, putting the game out of reach.
In the second half, Illinois State leaned on a third-straight career-high day on the ground from running back Victor Dawson, who rushed for 155 yards after going for 148 and 137 in his last two games. Dawson and the ground attack dominated the time of possession for 36:48. Click or tap here for final stats from the game.
HOW ABOUT THOSE REDBIRDS!!!!!!!!!#ValleyFootball x #FCS x @RedbirdFB x @ISURedbirds x @NCAA_FCS x @ESPNCFB x @espn pic.twitter.com/otoo7t1YoM
— Valley Football (@ValleyFootball) December 21, 2025
Illinois State becomes the first team in the 24-team FCS playoff era to make the national championship game after playing all road games and only the second unseeded team in the 24-team era to make the national championship game.
Overall, it’ll be Illinois State’s first FCS Championship game appearance since 2014. The Redbirds have never won a national championship.
You can catch the 2025-26 FCS Championship Game on Monday, January 5, 2026 at theFirstBank Stadium on the campus of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.
When I became disabled due to a traumatic injury at 17, the first thing I felt was a tremendous loss of control over my life. I’ve worked since then to regain and retain it.
It’s why I embrace the fundamental principle of the independent living movement and the disability rights and justice movement – that all of us have and deserve the right to self-determination and to make our own decisions, including decisions about the services and care we receive.
That is why I am grateful to Gov. Pritzker and the Illinois General Assembly for passing a new law that legalizes Medical Aid in Dying (SB 1950), the End of Life Options Act.
Death elicits fear. It certainly represents the ultimate loss of control. We all hope that it will be peaceful and without great suffering.
For many of us who have experienced marginalization because of disability or age, poverty, race, and other socially imposed constructs, we fear being devalued or dismissed in decision-making in systems, including in chronic or acute health care situations. This law relates specifically to terminal illness, not chronic or acute care. And disability should not be conflated with terminal illness.
The ability to control the decision-making process in the End of Life Options Act is detailed and robust. It’s a high bar to be eligible to participate.
It requires you to be able to be fully in control of the decision-making process and of the administration of medication, only when you have a prognosis of less than six months or less to live. It requires consultation with at least two different medical professionals. It has strong provisions that prevent anyone from assisting or exerting undue influence, including any person to whom you might have already given health care power of attorney.
Medical aid in dying is a trusted and time-tested medical practice that is part of the full spectrum of end-of-life care options, including hospice and palliative care. People move across the country to access it. Those with terminal illness who are unable to relocate because of disability or income need the equity that comes from being able to access options where we live.
As someone who has learned to never take it for granted, I want this right to self-determination to extend through the final days of my life if I should face a terminal illness.
I am grateful that Illinois has joined the many other states who support this additional end of life care option for all who are facing terminal illness.
Beth Langen,Springfield
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