Jussie SmollettA group of his former co-stars and sisters are among those who support him.”Empire” actor’s jail-time punishmentThe crime does not match the offense.
On Thursday, Smollett was sentenced to 150 days in jail, 30 months of felony probation and ordered to pay restitution and a fine by Cook County Judge James Linn after being Dec., found guiltyTo stage a homophobic and racist attack.
Prior to delivering the sentence, Linn told Smollett while the terms were “fashioned” just for him, it could not account for “the damage you’ve already done to your own life.”
On Instagram Sunday, Taraji P. Henson agreed the consequences to Smollett’s acting career were “punishment enough”and stated that she should free her former co-star.
Jussie Mollett sentencingActor sentenced to 150 Days in Jail for Homophobic Attacks and Lying to Police
“I am not here to debate you on his innocence but we can agree that the punishment does not fit the crime,” Henson wrote. “Emmett Till was brutally beat and ultimately murdered because of a lie and none of the people involved with his demise spent one day in jail, even after Carolyn Bryant (Donham) admitted that her claims were false.”
Till, a Black 14-year-old, was beaten to death in 1955 after Donham, a white Mississippi shopkeeper, said the teenager had grabbed and whistled at her. A second man and the woman’s husband were both charged with murder. But, an all-white jury acquitted them both that year.
2017 “The Blood of Emmett Till,” written by Timothy B. Tyson, quotes Donham admitting 2008 that she didn’t tell the truth when she made her claims.
Emmett Till:Feds reopen murder case, family ‘wants justice to prevail’
Henson, the actress who portrayed Smollett’s on-screen mom Cookie Lyons “Empire” continued: “My prayer is that he is freed and put on house arrest and probation because in this case that would seem fair. Please #freejussie.”
Smollett’s sister “Lovecraft Country”On Saturday, the actress denounced the sentence handed to her brother.writing, “Black Americans are incarcerated in state prisons at nearly five times the rate of White Americans.”
The Sentencing projectreported that finding in October 2021.
She continued: “Jussie is innocent. And…you don’t have to believe in his innocence to believe he should be free. #FreeJussie #StopLockingUpOurPeople.”
Smollett, 39, was found guilty on five counts of disorderly conduct – one count for each separate time he was charged with lying to police in the days immediately after the alleged attack, which Smollett reported in January 2019.
Jussie Smollett timeline:The case’s key moments, starting with the alleged attack and ending with his sentencing
A class 4 felony, disorderly conduct can carry a sentence up to three years in jail. However, experts predicted that Smollett would be placed on probation and ordered to do community service.
Comedian Trevor NoahSmollett’s Friday sentencing was also criticized by other speakers, who called the actions he was guilty of “inhumane” “dumb”However, you should consider the consequences “crazy.”
“It’s crazy that he’s gonna spend more time in jail than the family who are mostly to blame for America’s opioid epidemic,” He wrote.
During the hearing Smollett’s attorneys also read letters from other supporters, including an organizer with Black Lives Matter, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and LaTanya and Samuel L. JacksonLinn was asked to examine the impact of the case on Smollett’s life and career.
Many of Smollett’s supporters also expressed concern about his potential danger in prison. This included his race, his sexual orientation, and his Jewish heritage.
Smollett, who was found innocent following the verdict, stood up and declared: “I am innocent, and I am not suicidal,”It is suggested that “if anything happens”In jail, he didn’t take his own life. His 150-day sentence began right after the hearing on Thursday.
The Cook County Sheriff’s Office released a statement Friday. Smollett is in protective custody — typical for people “who may potentially be at risk of harm due to the nature of their charges, their professions, or their noteworthy status.”
Contributing: Edward Segarra,John Bacon and Jerry MitchellUSA TODAY; The Associated Press
