After allegedly being attacked, former empire star Jussie Smollett reported to Chicago police back on Jan. 29, 2019. He stated that he was assaulted and approached with a noose that was placed around his neck, along with getting a chemical substance poured on him as the attackers yelled,
“This is MAGA Country.”
The Chicago Police Department committed to the investigation, which reportedly took up more than 1,000 hours of overtime, before eventually concluding that Smollett had paid two men $3500 to stage the event.
Jussie Smollett was sentenced to five months in jail on Thursday for a hate crime he was a part of on himself. He lied to police and America about being attacked by two men while receiving racist and homophobic slurs.
Judge James Linn ordered the former empire Star to pay $120,000 restitution to the city of Chicago and a $25,000 fine; he will also need to serve 30 months of probation.
According to sources, as the judge declared the sentence, Smollett stood up and stated, “I am innocent and not suicidal.”
As the actor was led out of the courtroom, he shouted.
“If I did this it means I stuck my fist in the fears of Black Americans for over 400 years in this country, and the fears of the LGBT community,” Smollett said. “If anything happens to me when I go in there, I did not do it to myself, and you must all know that.”
As Linn issued the sentence, Smollett remarked he was not suicidal several times and implied that it would not be by his hand if he were found dead.
A few of Smollett’s supporters voiced concern for his security if he were to serve a jail term, based on the notoriety of his case.
Before announcing the sentence, Linn remarked that Smollett had taken some “scabs off some healing wounds,” all to increase his status.
“You’ve turned your life upside down by your misconduct and shenanigans. You’ve destroyed your life as you knew it,” Linn said. “You wanted to get the attention and you were so invested in issues of social justice, and you knew this was a sore spot for everybody in this country… You were throwing a national pity party for yourself.”
After the hoax was uncovered, Smollett was written out of the final season of “Empire” and now will face the consequences of his action.
