Jussie Smollett Sentenced to 150 Days in Jail For False Police Report

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. “I did not do this,” he said. “And I am not suicidal. If anything happens to me when I go in there, I did not do it to myself and you must all know that.”

While leaving the courtroom, he said, “I am innocent. If I was guilty, I could’ve said it a long time ago.”

His lawyer said they are filing a motion of 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.