'Empire' fame Jussie Smollett convicted for staging hate crime, sentenced to jail

On Thursday, March 10, actor Jussie Smollett was convicted for lying to police and staging a hate crime, reports Fox news. The Empire actor was sentenced to 30 months of felony probation and 150 days in jail by Cook County Judge James Linn. In addition to this, Jussie Smollett was also reportedly ordered that he pay $120, 106 in restitution to the city of Chicago and a $25,000 fine. The Cook County judge ordered for Jussie Smollett to be immediately placed in custody.

'I am innocent', yelled Jussie Smollett

The Empire star didn't make any statement when offered the opportunity by the court. However, after his sentencing, Smollett reportedly stood up at the defence table as the sheriff's surrounded him. The actor pleaded he did not stage any hate crime and claimed that he isn't 'suicidal'

“Your Honor, I respect you and I respect the jury but I did not do this. 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," said Jussie Smollett. Reportedly, when the deputies led him out of the courtroom, the actor yelled, "I am innocent. I could have said I am guilty a long time ago".

The actor's supporters pushed leniency for Smollett before the sentencing among them were an organizer with Black Lives Matter, Jesse Jackson's Rainbow PUSH Coalition, LaTanya and Samuel L Jackson. The prominent figures urged the court to forgo confinement as part of the sentencing.

Jussie Smollett hate crime hoax case

In January 2019, the actor reportedly told police that he was attacked by two men outside his building. Jussie claimed that the men in ski masks spoke to him using racial and homophobic slurs. As per reports, Smollett said that the attackers used their hands, feet and teeth as weapons while committing the assault. While addressing the case, the Chicago Police Department in their statement said that the actor was treated at the Northwestern Memorial Hospital, 'not seriously injured'. A month later, Smollet was reportedly charged by a grand jury with a class 4 felony for filing a false report to the police.

Image: Instagram/@jussiesmollett