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.

Smollett’s lawyers argue his case should never have gone to trial because the actor had already entered into a binding agreement with prosecutors.

Smollett claimed he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack near his Streeterville apartment in January 2019 after he walked several blocks for a Subway sandwich.

The Illinois Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in actor Jussie Smollett’s appeal to overturn his conviction on disorderly conduct charges for falsifying a hate crime.

The Illinois Supreme Court on Tuesday heard arguments in one of Chicago’s most closely followed low-level felony cases when attorneys for Jussie Smollett appeared before the state’s highest court in Springfield seeking to overturn his convictions nearly three years after he was convicted of staging a fake hate crime.