Jussie Smollett States Why He Received Jail Time
Actor and singer Jussie Smollett portrayed Jamal Lyon in the hit show Empire. However, he later became known as the actor who staged a fake hate crime against himself in Chicago. After the news broke out, he was fired from Empire, and seemingly shunned from the entertainment industry.Just over three years after the incident, a judge sentenced Smollett to 150 days in jail, 30 months of probation, and ordered to pay restitution of more than $120,000. He was also fined $25,000. Now, TMZ is reporting that sources close to the celebrity said that Smollet expected to get jail time, and that, "he felt he would be treated more harshly than other defendants convicted of a non-violent crime... all because of the color of his skin.
The source continued to say that Smollet believes there is more evidence of systemic racism in the judicial system, and that he knew this would be the outcome based on how the judge treated him during his trial. As of this publication, the judge has not commented on this matter.
Smollett Claimed His Innocence In Court After Receiving His Sentence
Although the actor accepted his sentence, he continued to deny any part in the incident. "Your honor, I respect you and I respect the jury, but I did not do this," he said. He also responded to reports from media outlets that he was suicidal, to which he 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." He then again stated his innocence and raised a fist in the air.Smollet has just begun his sentence, and is currently in protective custody. His relatives have continued to run his Instagram account, and have posted two images supporting the star. The first image shows a quote from Smollet regarding his mental state, with the caption, "OUR BROTHER IS INNOCENT AND WE WILL KEEP FIGHTING. #FreeJussie." The second image is of the hashtag #FREEJUSSIE, captioning, "Jussie is innocent. And…you don't have to believe in his innocence to believe he should be free. #FreeJussie."
However, The Judge Approved Smollett's Requests Regarding His Jail Sentence
Many celebrities who serve jail time request protective custody due to the possibility of increased danger. Smollett and his legal team were no different. Following recommendations from his legal team and the court, the judge granted this request.He is currently in his own cell that is monitored by security cameras. There is also an officer wearing a body-worn camera when stationed at the cell entrance for direct observation. It was confirmed by sources that he is not in solitary confinement, and that he can use a telephone and interact with staff. However, it is unknown if he was placed on suicide watch.
As of this publication, Smollet's family is running his Instagram account, and are planning to continue posting in support of the actor. One of their recent posts is to thank a Chicago activist for her support towards Smollet. The post mainly targets the Chicago Police Department for how the case was treated. In the end, the caption stated, "let's say I'm blinded by loyalty and I'm wrong— the Chicago Police Department is right and Jussie absolutely did what they say he did. IM STILL GONE STICK BESIDE HIM."
