Jussie Smollett has finally learned his fate.
The former Empire actor was sentenced to 150 days in a county jail on Thursday, March 10, for filing a false police report back in 2019 after he told investigators that he was the victim of an alleged hate crime. He was also sentenced to 30 months of felony probation and ordered to pay the city about $120,000 in restitution and to pay a fine of $25,000.
After the sentence, Smollett spoke out in court. Smollett said that he didn’t have the nerve to do so. “And I’m not suicidal. I will not be held responsible for anything that happens when I enter the building.
He said “I’m innocent” as he left the courtroom. He said, “I am innocent.”
According to his lawyer, they will be filing an appeal. The judge denied the request for a “stay” or pause.
During the sentencing, a letter from Samuel L. Jackson was read in support of Smollett. The actor’s grandmother took the stand to advocate for him, with Smollett wiping a tear after she stepped down. Black Lives Matter and the NAACP also sent letters arguing against incarceration.