See Jussie Smollett’s DRAMATIC Courtroom Outburst
Jussie Smollett has been released from jail.
Jussie was granted the opportunity to post a bail of $150,000 and leave jail six days into his 150-day sentence, according to the court order obtained by E! News on March 16.
Jussie’s lawyer is filing an appeal on his case, but the appellate court said their decision may not be completed until after the duration of Jussie’s sentence, leading them to grant his “stay” or pause in jail time.
The fact that Jussie was convicted of a non-violent crime also weighed into the decision, per the order.
In the event that Jussie loses his appeal, the actor will then serve his sentence issued on March 10 from scratch.
After the order, Jussie was seen walking out of the jail and getting into an SUV on Wednesday evening. He did not speak to reporters.
“We’ve been complaining about the disparate treatment of African Americans in the judicial system regardless of what you think about this case. Some people might think Mr. Smollett is guilty. I disagree,” Jussie’s lawyer, Nenye Uche, told reporters after his release. “But a real question is should Black men be locked into jail for a class four felony. Shame on you if you think they should. That’s a disgrace. It’s wrong.
The attorney said Jussie has not eaten in six days, only consuming ice water. “Maybe he knew spiritually something we didn’t know,” he added.
Beyond the 150 days in county jail, Jussie was also sentenced to 30 months of felony probation and ordered to pay about $120,000 in restitution to the city and a fine of $25,000.
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The Empire star was found guilty in December 2021 of multiple counts of disorderly conduct. Jussie was convicted of filing a false police report in 2019, saying he was the victim of an alleged hate crime. At the time, Jussie told investigators that two men in masks attacked him by putting a noose around his neck and pouring chemicals on him while shouting homophobic and racist slurs.
As an investigation further ensued, officials came to the conclusion that Jussie had fabricated the incident. During a press conference on the matter, Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said that Jussie paid $3,500 for brothers Olabinjo Osundairo and Abimbola Osundairo to help him fake the hate crime. The actor has denied this claim.
After a jury found Jussie guilty of five out of six counts of disorderly conduct, Jussie, who pleaded not guilty, spoke out in court.
“I did not do this,” he said at his sentencing last week. “And I am not suicidal. If anything happens to me when I go in there, I did not do it to myself and you must all know that.”
In December 2021, Jussie’s lawyer defended his client to reporters.
“The verdict is inconsistent,” Nenye said. “You cannot say Jussie is lying and Jussie is not lying for the same exact incident. So, we feel 100 percent confident that this case will be won on appeal.” He added, “We remain 100 percent confident in our client’s innocence.”
E! News has reached out to Jussie’s lawyer.
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