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Six years after Chicago officials accused Jesse Smollett of staging his own attack and suing him for damages
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the former TV star has reached a settlement with the city, bringing the years-long legal battle to an end
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In 2019, Smollett filed a police report claiming he was attacked in a Chicago neighborhood
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He said the assault was motivated by racism and homophobia, making him the victim of a hate crime
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Three months later, Chicago police and city officials said Smollett staged the attack, handpicked his attackers, and orchestrated the incident
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The city then filed a civil lawsuit claiming his false report cost Chicago taxpayers $130,000 in investigation expenses, including the arrest of two brothers
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Smollett filed his own suit, countering the claims and denying his assault was fake
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Police arrested and charged Smollett after the reported attack. At first, he was set to receive community service, but a special prosecutor took over and sent the case to trial
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Smollett repeatedly denied staging the attack even after the brothers accused in the attack testified that he paid them to carry it out for publicity
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In 2021, a jury found Smollett guilty on five counts of felony disorderly conduct
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A judge sentenced him to 150 days in jail and 30 months of probation
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He was also ordered to pay a fine and more than $120,000 in restitution to Chicago
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Two years later, the Illinois Supreme Court overturned Smollett's conviction, ruling he had already made a deal with prosecutors to settle the case
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outside of court and shouldn't have faced criminal charges. The details of the agreement have not been publicly released
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The city and Smollett settled out of the court. For Straight Arrow News, I'm Kaylee Carey
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