Jussie Smollett maintains his innocence ahead of court appearance

Former Empire star Jussie Smollett maintained his innocence regarding his ongoing criminal case with the city of Chicago during an Instagram Live chat.

On Wednesday, the actor spoke with author and activist Marc Lamont Hill and reflected on the legal matter, in which he is accused of staging a hate crime against himself in early 2019.

Smollett, who was fired from the hit Fox series because of the allegations, admitted his current situation is “beyond frustrating", sharing: "Sometimes I wake up in the morning and I am so angry, but other times if I squint real hard I can see the silver lining.”

Prior to Smollett’s interview, the co-founder of Chicago’s Black Lives Matter movement Aislinn Pulley and civil rights activist and prison abolitionist Angela Davis both spoke with Hill and expressed their support of the star.

Davis previously supported Smollett via an open letter also signed by actors and activists Danny Glover and LisaGay Hamilton.

In a recent development in the case, officials from the city of Chicago requested that the FBI hand over records of their probe into Smollett’s case, while his lawyers filed a motion against his current indictment set to be heard by a judge on 10 September.

“There’s a chance this could all be over tomorrow,” Hill suggested to a less-than-optimistic Smollett, who responded: “If I’m being completely honest, no I don’t think that… They won’t let this go. You know what I’m saying? They won’t let this go. It doesn’t matter…

"The sad part is that there is an example being made of someone who did not do what they’re being accused of."