Jussie Smollett was found guilty of submitting a false complaint of a racist and homophobic attack and was sentenced to one hundred fifty days in jail for his actions. Judge James Linn of Chicago County determined that the defendant must begin serving their sentence after the hearing. Smollett said he was innocent and dismissed rumours that he had suicidal intentions. He stood at the defence table as his attorneys and sheriff’s officers surrounded him and yelled, “If I did this, then it implies that I poked my fist in the anxieties of Black Americans in this nation for over 400 years and the worries of the LGBT community.”
He did this as his attorneys, and sheriff’s officers encircled him. Your Honour, I have the deepest respect for you and the jury members, but I cannot admit guilt in this matter. In addition, I do not contemplate ending my life in any way. I also refuse to blame myself for any of the misfortunes inside. Naturally, this should go without saying. While he was being escorted out of the courtroom by cops, he yelled that he was innocent. In addition to the sentence, the judge ordered him to pay damages to the city of Chicago for $120,106 in addition to the sentence and probation.
Explaining Jussie Smollett’s sentence
Jussie Smollett has been sentenced to 150 days in prison, which is a little under five months’ worth of time behind bars. Due to the actor’s dramatic reaction, the hearing over his sentence lasted for the whole sixty minutes. While sentencing Jussie Smollett for the conviction he received, the prosecutor Dan Webb urged the judge, Tina Linn, to include an appropriate amount of time spent in jail. The artist’s legal team claimed that the singer should only be obliged to do community service since he had already endured sufficient punishment as a result of the criminal justice system to avoid any future damage to his career.
In addition, the lawyer for Jussie Smollett read letters from more supporters who encouraged the judge to consider how this case may harm Smollett’s life and career. Some went as far as to suggest that the Empire actor’s racial identity, gay orientation, and Jewish background would all put him at risk during his time imprisoned.
Smollett’s criminal record is clean
Linn considered the pleadings for mercy, but he rejected the defense’s effort to have the judgment reversed on the basis of legal arguments. The individual, who was 39 years old, was charged with five counts of felony disorderly conduct and one count of lying to police. The maximum term for each of these charges was three years in prison. The jury decided he was innocent of the sixth charge against him. As a result of his short criminal history and the relatively minor nature of the conviction, no one ever thought that Smollett would serve any time in prison for the offence.
