Court orders actor Jussie Smollett to be released from jail during appeal

Jussie Smollett raises his fist as he is led out of the courtroom
Jussie Smollett is led out of the courtroom after being sentenced on March 10 in Chicago.
(Brian Cassella / Related Press)

Actor Jussie Smollett was ordered launched from jail Wednesday by an appeals court docket that agreed along with his attorneys that he must be launched pending the enchantment of his conviction for mendacity to police a few racist and homophobic assault.

The ruling got here after a Cook dinner County decide sentenced Smollett final week to right away start serving 150 days in jail for his conviction on 5 felony counts of disorderly conduct for mendacity to police. The appeals court docket stated Smollett may very well be launched after posting a private recognizance bond of $150,000.

Smollett’s attorneys had argued that he would have accomplished the sentence by the point the enchantment course of was completed and that Smollett may very well be in peril of bodily hurt if he remained locked up in Cook dinner County Jail.

The court docket’s determination marks the most recent chapter in a wierd story that started in January 2019 when Smollett, who's Black and homosexual, reported to Chicago police that he was the sufferer of a racist and homophobic assault by two males sporting ski masks. The manhunt for the attackers quickly changed into an investigation of Smollett himself and his arrest on expenses that he’d orchestrated the assault and lied to police about it.

The investigation revealed Smollett paid two males he knew from work on the TV present “Empire” to stage the assault.

A jury convicted Smollett in December on 5 felony counts of disorderly conduct — the cost filed when an individual lies to police. He was acquitted on a sixth rely. Choose James Linn sentenced Smollett final week to 150 days in jail, however with good habits he could be launched in as little as 75 days.

Smollett maintained his innocence in the course of the trial. Throughout sentencing he shouted on the decide that he was harmless, warning the decide that he was not suicidal and that if he died in custody, it was any individual else who would have taken his life.

Post a Comment

Previous Post Next Post