Disgraced actor Jussie Smollett was sentenced to 150 days in jail this week for staging a hate crime in which he hired two black men to masquerade as Trump supporters in MAGA hats and beat him in the street as he returned home from a Subway in wintery Chicago at 2 AM. Smollett completed the theater performance by putting a noose around his neck, which he was still wearing when police arrived almost an hour after the fake attack.
The evidence was clear from the beginning that the incident was staged, and subsequent investigations by law enforcement confirmed that fact in the months after the incident, which led to his sentencing. In December Smollett was found guilty on 5 charges of disorderly conduct – one count for each time he lied to police following the hoax ‘attack.’
Nevertheless, Smollett feels that he is once again a victim of ‘systemic racism’ because he was found guilty for his crimes and is now having to be held accountable.
According to a new report by TMZ, sources close to the convicted hate hoaxer say he is complaining that he feels he was given jail time for his crimes solely because he’s black. In fact, they added, Smollett was apparently expecting the sentence, and when it was handed down, he viewed it as evidence of “systemic racism” in the US justice system.
Prior to his hearing, Smollett even reportedly told his lawyers that he was going to be treated more harshly than someone else in his position because of his skin color. Unreal.
Smollett also bragged to his legal team after his sentencing, claiming that he had nailed his prediction of what would happen, according to TMZ.
Apparently, Smollett hasn’t learned anything about crying wolf since his little stunt. Maybe some hard time is exactly what this guy needs to finally realize people are on to his grift.
From TMZ:
“Jussie Smollett believes there’s one overarching reason he was sent to jail, and it’s not because of the hoax … he says it’s because he’s Black.
Sources with direct knowledge and in constant touch with the “Empire” actor tell TMZ … Jussie fully expected to get jail time. He told his defense team before sentencing he felt he would be treated more harshly than other defendants convicted of a non-violent crime … all because of the color of his skin. He thinks it’s more evidence of systemic racism in the judicial system.
Jussie told his team after sentencing he was dead-on when he predicted the outcome … based on the animosity the judge showed toward him. He called it ‘unfortunate’ and ‘sad.’”
Smollett’s 150-day sentence at Cook County Jail began earlier this week, and, thanks to an outburst during his hearing in which the former ‘Empire’ actor shouted “I am not suicidal” repeatedly while proclaiming his innocence, he will be housed by himself in a secure unit surrounded by security cameras.
He also reportedly underwent a “medical, mental health, and security assessment” when he was taken into custody because of the courtroom outburst.
UPDATE: Cook County to Monitor Jussie Smollet’s Cell with Security Cameras After Suicide Comments
On top of the jail time, Smollett was also sentenced to 30 months of felony probation and ordered to pay $120,126 restitution in addition to a $25,000 fine. The restitution payment will go to the city of Chicago for the costs related to the police investigation of his fake hate crime.