Timeline of Jussie Smollett attack on himself case and how US court overturn im conviction

Illinois Supreme Court for United States on Thursday overturn actor Jussie Smollett conviction on charges say e stage one racist and homophobic attack against himself for downtown Chicago for 2019 and lie give police.

Di state highest court rule say dem no suppose allow special prosecutor to intervene after Cook County state attorney bin drop charges against Smollett in exchange for forgetting im $10,000 bond and doing community service.

Di ruling and di appeal no tok about Smollett continued claim of innocence.

Smollett, wey be Black and gay, bin claim say two men assault am, shout racial and homophobic abuse at am and put rope around im neck, leading to one ogbonge search for suspects by Chicago police detectives wey make news around di world.

Smollett bin dey on di television drama “Empire,” wey dem bin dey film for Chicago, and prosecutors allege say e stage di attack because e bin no happy with di studio response to hate mail wey e receive.

Afta police investigate im claim, detectives later focus on Smollett imself, and charge am wit staging fake hate crime against imself.

Smollett attorneys argue say im trial violate di Fifth Amendment protections, afta Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx's office agreed to drop di 16count charges against am.

Timeline of Jussie Smollett case, jail time and conviction overturn

29 January 2019: Jussie Smollett report say dem attack am, Chicago police say dem dey investigate di suspected racist and homophobic attack on Jussie Smollett.

30 January 2019: Celebrities and fans send dia well-wishes to di actor.

31 January 2019: Smollett refuse to hand ova im phone to police wey dey investigate di attack.

Dem bin wan confirm details - including di MAGA references - as di actor say e bin dey on di phone to im manager at di time.

A day later, police say: "Na victim. We no dey treat am like a criminal."

Dem say dem no go demand for di phone.

1 February 2019: Smollett tok about di incident for di first time.

Di actor say e dey "OK" after di incident as e thank im supporters.

11 February 2019: Di actor submit im phone recordings.

14 February 2019: Police arrest two pipo of interest and interview dem, but dem no charge dem and dem no treat dem as suspects.

Dem be Obabinjo (Ola) and Abimbola (Abel) Osundairo, originally from Nigeria.

Dem bin work as Empire extras.

Some of di items police seize from a raid of dia home include a black face mask, Empire script, phone, receipts, red hat and bleach.

17 February 2019: Chicago police say new development don dey for di case, a day after dem release di Osundairo brothers without charge.

20 February 2019: Police charge Smollett for "disorderly conduct/filing a false police report".

21 February 2019: Police arrest Smollett.

22 February 2019: Empire suspend Smollett. Di TV show executive producers release a statement say di actor mo go dey for di final two episodes of di latest series.

Dem add say di allegations against am dey "disturbing".

25 February 2019: Reporters for US get a hold of a copy of di $3,500 cheque allegedly paid to Abel Osundairo for di attack.

1 March 2019: Osundairo brothers release statement say dem 'regret' dia involvement.

14 March 2019: Smollett appear for court but plead not guilty.

27 March 2019: Court drop di case but Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel say na "whitewash of justice."

29 March 2019: Police order Smollett to pay $130,000 (£99,000) to cover di cost of police officers, including overtime work on di case.

12 April 2019: City of Chicago police sue di actor for refusing to pay.

23 April 2019: Osundairo brothers sue di actor lawyers. E dey revealed say Jussie Smollett legal team dey sued for defamation by di Osundairo brothers - wey say dem continue to dey accused of carrying out a racist and homophobic attack against di actor.

30 April 2019: TV Network Fox confam say Smollett no go return for Empire sixth season.

12 February 2020: Smollett face six new charges. Di actor dey charged with six counts of lying to police.

29 November 2021: Smollett trial begin.

9 December 2021: Court tok say Smollett dey guilty of five of six counts of disorderly conduct, meaning say dem no prove di last one for court.

11 March 2022: Three years after di fake attack and first police report, Jussie Smollett dey sentenced to 150 days jail time and dey ordered to pay a fine of $145,000 (£110,000).

Im sentence also include 30 months of probation.

17 March 2022: Afta six days dem release am from prison afta im lawyers appeal di case. Im bin get to sign a $150,000 (£114,000) bond before im release from Cook County jail.

21 November 2024: Court overturn di conviction against afta two years.

Smollett lawyers bin continue to dey to work on di appeal for more dan two years.

Dem argue say dem no suppose charge am again in 2020 afta Cook County State Attorney Office don already drop di charges in exchange for community service di year before.

Judges for Illinois agree say e dey unfair dat di court no honour dia agreement.

"We dey aware say dis case don generated public interest and many pipo dey dissatisfied wit di resolution of di original case and believe say e dey unjust," di judges tok.

Smollett dey always say im dey innocent and im be victim of a crime - sometin di judges no address in di court document.