Jussie Smollett is a free man — for now.
Current Events
Actor Jussie Smollett, who was convicted of concocting and orchestrating a make-believe hate crime against himself has been released from jail. The former “Empire” actor was sentenced last week to 30 months of felony probation (which included 150 days of jail time) and was ordered to pay restitution of more than $120,000 as well as a $25,000 fine for making false reports to police. However, an Illinois appeals court granted an emergency motion by Smollett’s defense attorneys to release the actor pending an appeal. And so, on Wednesday night, Jussie Smollett walked out of the Cook County Jail in Chicago effectively as a free man.
The case and conviction against Smollett was always a controversial one. Although the actor repeatedly maintained his innocence, the attack he alleged was perpetrated against him harmed no one and only wasted the time and resources of the Chicago Police Department.
At least for Jussie and his team, the punishment never matched the (supposed) crime.
“There is no room for politics in our court system,” defense attorney Nenye Uche said in a news conference shortly after the actor’s release. “Regardless of what you think about this case … the real question is, should Black men be walked into jail for a Class 4 felony? That’s a disgrace!
“The judge spent a great deal of time chastising, berating my client,” Uche added. “I’ve never seen that before.”
“You’re not a victim of a racial hate crime, you’re not a victim of a homophobic hate crime. You’re just a charlatan pretending to be a victim of a hate crime.”
– Judge James Linn
When Smollett was ordered last week to serve time in the Cook County Jail, the actor feared for his safety because he’s Black, gay, and famous. He made headlines for creating a courtroom explosion during his sentencing where he repeatedly told the judge and the press “I am NOT suicidal.” Smollett’s family later revealed that the actor merely made the public statement in case he was killed in jail and officials attempted to disguise his murder as a suicide. However, the court saw his emotional outburst as a sign of mental imbalance and sentenced him to the jail’s psychiatric ward.
Smollett spent his first several nights in jail reportedly sleeping on a hard slab (and not a bed) with restraints to “protect” him from himself. In protest, he refused to consume food and only ate ice cubes to stay alive.
Now, the actor is out of jail and back with his family. The appeals court order stated that Smollett “shall be released from custody … upon posting of a personal recognizance bond (I Bond) in the amount of $150,000.” According to the terms of his release, he is required to attend all future court proceedings, which will decide the fate of his appeal.
“Mr. Smollett asserts that he is entitled a stay because he will most likely serve his short, 150-day jail sentence before his appeal on the merits is decided. According to this logic, every defendant sentenced to a term of imprisonment less than a few years would automatically receive a stay pending appeal.”
– Cook County prosecutor
Was Cook County correct to penalize Jussie Smollett for creating a fake racial attack? Was his 150-day jail sentence the proper punishment for his actions? Or, was the court case and conviction all overkill in an attempt to make an example of Smollett and prevent copycat cases in the future?
When Smollett was ordered last week to serve time in the Cook County Jail, the actor feared for his safety because he’s Black, gay, and famous […] – DJ
I think this young man has an over-inflated sense of himself.
“..famous”..??? No.
I’d wager most Americans still don’t know who he is other than “that Black guy” who faked his own MAGA attack.