CHICAGO (WLS) — Jussie Smollett spent his first night behind bars after a judge sentenced him to five months for a phony hate crime.
Thursday’s hearing ended dramatically when Smollett stood up from his seat and pleaded not guilty and concerned for his own safety.
WATCH | Emotional outburst of Jussie Smollett in court
The 39-year-old was expressionless and his family and others in the courtroom were stunned when Cook County Judge James Lynn handed down the verdict.
“You will spend the first 150 days of your sentence in the Cook County Jail and it starts today. Right here and now,” Judge Lynn said.
In reviewing the verdict, Lynn said that Smollett’s “extreme” intentional commission of the crime was an aggravating circumstance. He also said that the actor denigrated the experience of real victims of hate crimes, calling him a “charlatan” and a liar.
“You acted as a witness. You shouldn’t have. You did it. You certainly had the right to do so. But you gave false evidence hour after hour,” Lynn said.
WATCH | Full sentencing by Judge Lynn
While in prison, Smollett also begins 30 months probation in addition to being ordered to pay more than $120,000 in restitution to the city of Chicago and a $25,000 fine.
Then the disgraced actor went to court.
“I’m not suicidal,” Smollett said. “I’m not suicidal! I am not guilty! And I’m not suicidal. If I have done this, it means that I have stuck my fist in the fears of black Americans in this country for 400 years and the fears of the LGBT community. honor, I respect you, and I respect the jury, but I didn’t do this, and I’m not suicidal. And if something happens to me when I go in there, I didn’t do it to myself! And you should all know this!
The verdict came three months after Smollett was convicted on five counts of disorderly conduct for lying to Chicago police.
Before sending Smollett to jail for the next five months, Judge Lynn said the actor had denigrated the experience of real victims of hate crimes by calling him a “charlatan” and a liar.
“You acted as a witness,” Judge Lynn said. “You shouldn’t have. You did. You certainly had a right to it. But hour after hour you have been committing the purest perjury.”
Smollett was still pleading not guilty when he was taken out of court after his verdict.
“I am not guilty!” he said. “I could tell that I was guilty a long time ago!”
WATCH | Family defends Jussie Smollett’s innocence after sentencing
The verdict outraged the Smollett family, who criticized the judge after the verdict.
“My brother Jussy is innocent, this should not cause controversy, because it is the absolute truth,” said Jazz Smollett, Jussie’s sister.
“He dishonored my brother,” said Jojo Smollett, Jussie’s brother. “He talked about his arrogance. He doesn’t know about the struggle my brother is facing.”
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Meanwhile, Special Counsel Dan Webb praised the judge.
“This behavior deserved severe punishment,” Webb said. “I thought it was the right way to do it. And I really think that, based on his sentencing, Judge Lynn clearly understood what exactly happened in this case.”
Smollett’s defense said they were stunned and vowed to appeal.
“In my entire career as a lawyer, I have never seen, and none of the other lawyers here have ever seen, a situation where a class 4 felony is treated in the same way as a violent crime,” said defense attorney Nenye Uche.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot welcomed the judge’s decision, writing, “Jussie Smollett’s criminal conviction by a jury and today’s sentencing should send a clear message to all Chicagoans that false statements and allegations are unacceptable. a malicious and completely fabricated claim made by Mr. Smollett resulted in over 1,500 hours of police work, costing the city over $130,000 in overtime. actions”.
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Smollett’s sentencing hearing comes three months after the actor was convicted of staging a hate crime against himself. Smollett told Chicago police he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack in Streeterville back in January 2019.
After a long investigation and many years in court, Smollett was found guilty on five of the six counts of disorderly conduct for lying to the police. He faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison on all counts.
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