Actor and activist Jussie Smollett has been found guilty of lying to police about being the victim of a hoax hate crim. Being sentenced to five months of felony probation, Smollett has also been ordered to pay more than $150,000 in restitution to the city of Chicago.
Back in 2019, the criminal case made global headlines when Smollett claimed that two men wearing ski masks beat him while hurling racial and homophobic slurs and yelling “MAGA COUNTRY” outside of his home in Chicago. However, after a trial with damaging testimony from the Osundairo brothers (who told jurors Smollett paid them to carry out the attack) he was found guilty.
Led by sister and star of Lovecraft Country Jurnee Smollett, family members have launched the “#FREEJUSSIE” campaign, highlighting the fact that Black Americans are incarcerated in state prisons at nearly five times the rate of White Americans. “Jussie is innocent, and you don’t have to believe in his innocence to believe he should be free” shared Jurnee.
Former co-star Taraji P. Henson has lent her support sharing “I am not here to debate you on his innocence, but we can agree that the punishment does not fit the crime.” Henson added, “No one was hurt or killed during Jussie’s ordeal. He has already lost everything, EVERYTHING! To me as an artist not able to create that in itself is punishment enough. He can’t get a job. No one in Hollywood will hire him and again as an artist who loves to create, that is prison.”
It’s been reported that Smollett has been placed in Cook County Jail’s psych ward against his will. No matter how you feel about Jussie, we here at Hollywood Confidential are asking that we pray for his safety while behind bars.
