Jussie Smollett, a former Empire star, has been sentenced to 150 days in prison for an alleged hate crime hoax. Smollett will also pay $120,000 in restitution and a $25,000 fine for his offense. Cook County Judge James Linn found Smollett, 39, guilty of five out of six felony charges leveled against him for a false crime report to the police.
“There’s a side of you that has this arrogance, and selfishness and narcissism that’s just disgraceful,” Judge Linn said. “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, and that’s shameful.”
The judge said the former actor should be housed in a cell that has security cameras and a security officer stationed at the entrance of his cell. He stated that Smollett is not to be held in solitary confinement, but must be placed in protective custody where he is free to step outside his cell and watch TV, use the telephone, and relate with prison staff.
As soon as the judge gave his sentence, Smollett removed his face mask and stated that he was innocent of any charge. And that nothing must happen to him in prison. He even raised a fist and yelled his innocence as he was taken away from the court.
“Your honor, I respect you and I respect the jury, but I did not do this,” the actor told the judge. “And I am not suicidal. And if anything happens to me when I go in there, I did not do it to myself. And you must all know that.”
In January 2019, Smollett called the police to allege that two strangers attacked him and hauled racist and homophobic insults at him. He said they put a noose on his neck and also poured bleach on him. Being black and gay, he told the Chicago police that his attackers assailed him for being black and gay. Police officials investigated the report for several weeks before determining that no hate crime occurred and that Smollet had staged the scene to draw public sympathy.
Special Prosecutor Daniel Webb said he was satisfied with the sentencing imposed on Smollett, but his legal representative, Tina Glandian, said the actor should get a new trial and that she will appeal his conviction and sentencing. Smollett’s brother, Jojo Smollet, and his sister Jazz Smollett said they are disappointed with the judge for sentencing their brother, saying he is innocent.