Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot says the city feels “vindicated’ by the conviction of Jussie Smollett.
The former “Empire” actor was sentenced on Thursday to 150 days behind bars for staging a phony hate crime in Chicago. After the sentencing, Mayor Lightfoot released a statement saying it sends “a clear message to everyone in the City of Chicago that false claims and allegations will not be tolerated.” She added that Smollett’s claim cost the city over $130,000 in police overtime.
“The criminal conviction of Jussie Smollett by a jury of his peers and today’s sentencing should send a clear message to everyone in the City of Chicago that false claims and allegations will not be tolerated. The malicious and wholly fabricated claim made by Mr. Smollett resulted in over 1500 hours of police work that cost the City over $130,000 in police overtime. The City feels vindicated in today’s ruling that he is being held accountable and that we will appropriately receive restitution for his actions.”
Actor Jussie Smollett will get 5 months in prison for lying about a hate crime in 2019. Though Smollett still claims he is innocent, his sentencing was met with public silence from the fallen star’s acting colleagues and even his own sister. Jussie Gets Prison and Probation Time Jussie Smollett was found guilty in December […]
Jussie Smollett returned to court for sentencing on Thursday (Mar 10). Previously found guilty of five of six charges, Smollett was facing years in prison as he entered Cook County courts Thursday afternoon. The proceedings stretched into the early Chicago evening, ultimately leading to Smollett spending his first night in jail.
According to ABC7Chicago, the courtroom was shocked as Smollett was sentenced to 150 days in Chicago’s Cook County Jail. The sentence, delivered by Judge James Linn, followed a lengthy speech that chronicled every action in the hoax while also calling the actor a narcissist, arrogant, and recalled his acts of perjury.
“You will spend the first 150 days of your sentence in the Cook County Jail, and that will start today. Right here, right now,” Judge Linn said.
In addition to the time in jail, Smollett is on probation for 30 months and will pay $120,000 in restitution to the City of Chicago and a $25,000 fine.
After the sentencing was delivered, Smollett addressed the courtroom:
“I am not suicidal. I am not suicidal! I am innocent! And I am not suicidal. If I did this, then it means that I stuck my fist in the fears of Black Americans in this country for 400 years and the fears of the LGBTQ community. 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!”
“I have never seen in my entire career as an attorney, and none of the other attorneys here have ever seen a situation where a class 4 felony gets the same treatment as a violent offense,” said Smollett’s defense attorney Nenye Uche.
Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot also issued a statement:
“The criminal conviction of Jussie Smollett by a jury of his peers and today’s sentencing should send a clear message to everyone in the City of Chicago that false claims and allegations will not be tolerated. The malicious and wholly fabricated claim made by Mr. Smollett resulted in over 1500 hours of police work that cost the City over $130,000 in police overtime. The City feels vindicated in today’s ruling that he is being held accountable and that we will appropriately receive restitution for his actions.”
Jussie Smollett returned to court for sentencing on Thursday (Mar 10). Previously found guilty of five of six charges, Smollett was facing years in prison as he entered Cook County courts Thursday afternoon. The proceedings stretched into the early Chicago evening, ultimately leading to Smollett spending his first night in jail.
According to ABC7Chicago, the courtroom was shocked as Smollett was sentenced to 150 days in Chicago’s Cook County Jail. The sentence, delivered by Judge James Linn, followed a lengthy speech that chronicled every action in the hoax while also calling the actor a narcissist, arrogant, and recalled his acts of perjury.
“You will spend the first 150 days of your sentence in the Cook County Jail, and that will start today. Right here, right now,” Judge Linn said.
In addition to the time in jail, Smollett is on probation for 30 months and will pay $120,000 in restitution to the City of Chicago and a $25,000 fine.
After the sentencing was delivered, Smollett addressed the courtroom:
“I am not suicidal. I am not suicidal! I am innocent! And I am not suicidal. If I did this, then it means that I stuck my fist in the fears of Black Americans in this country for 400 years and the fears of the LGBTQ community. 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!”
“I have never seen in my entire career as an attorney, and none of the other attorneys here have ever seen a situation where a class 4 felony gets the same treatment as a violent offense,” said Smollett’s defense attorney Nenye Uche.
Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot also issued a statement:
“The criminal conviction of Jussie Smollett by a jury of his peers and today’s sentencing should send a clear message to everyone in the City of Chicago that false claims and allegations will not be tolerated. The malicious and wholly fabricated claim made by Mr. Smollett resulted in over 1500 hours of police work that cost the City over $130,000 in police overtime. The City feels vindicated in today’s ruling that he is being held accountable and that we will appropriately receive restitution for his actions.”
Jussie Smollett was sentenced to 150 days in Cook County Jail Thursday evening, following his sentencing in his Chicago hoax case. The convicted felon ended his hearing by standing up, sticking to his innocence, expressing concern for his safety, and screaming that he is not suicidal.
In addition to his 150 days behind bars, the 39-year-old actor will serve 30 months of probation, pay the city $120,000 in restitution and a $25,000 fine.
Jussie Smollett was sentenced to 150 days in Cook County Jail Thursday evening, following his sentencing in his Chicago hoax case. The convicted felon ended his hearing by standing up, sticking to his innocence, expressing concern for his safety, and screaming that he is not suicidal.
In addition to his 150 days behind bars, the 39-year-old actor will serve 30 months of probation, pay the city $120,000 in restitution and a $25,000 fine.
Jussie Smollett is looking for a new trial. According to TMZ, the convicted hoax artist is not accepting his not-guilty verdict and is also pointing fingers at issues with the jury selection process.
In new legal filings, Smollett wants to reverse the conviction and if that isn’t possible, wants to get a new trial. Smollett’s lawyers state they were unable to speak with potential jurors and vet them for the case. The legal team also states prosecutors show a pattern of racism in selecting jurors.
In addition, the legal team states the judge wrongfully didn’t allow the media and public in the courtroom, while the prosecution pressured witnesses into false statements.
In December, Jussie Smollett was found guilty of 5 counts of disorderly conduct for lying to the Chicago Police Department over a hate crime, which is now declared a hoax. Smollett staged a racist, homophobic attack against himself in the Chicago neighborhood of Streeterville in January 2019.
According to ABC 7 Chicago, Smollett, now a convicted felon, showed no emotion as the verdict was read. he faced six counts of felony disorderly conduct, the last count was dismissed. The dismissal of the sixth charge occurred because he altered his statement to Detective Robert Graves in Feb of 2019, stating the attacker was not white, instead opting for “pale-skinned.”
Smollett is released on a recognizance bond but he will return to Chicago for sentencing, where he faces between one and three years for each conviction. Experts state it is likely the Empire star will get probation due to having no criminal history. A sentencing date has not been set.
