Jussie Smollett says he was sentenced to 150 days in jail 'because he is black'

Empire actor Jussie Smollett says he was handed a heftier jail sentence because he is black and that he made sure to mention he is not suicidal in court in order to avoid getting 'Jeffrey Epstein'd'

On Thursday Smollett - once a darling of the music and TV world for his success on the show Empire - was sentenced to 150 days in jail.

The star was convicted last year of five felony counts of disorderly conduct for lying to police repeatedly when he claimed he was the victim of a race hate attack in January and February 2019.

Judge James Linn granted Smollett 'day for day' eligibility which means if he behaves himself behind bars, he will likely be released within 75 days - just over two months.

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Smollett told the judge: ''If anything happens to me when I go in there, I did not to it to myself, and you must all know that'

Smollett told his attorneys before his Thursday court appearance that he would get a harsher sentence than most people convicted of a non-violent offence because he is black

After he was sentenced Smollett told his legal team his prediction was correct and said the 150 day sentence was 'unfortunate' and 'sad' and blamed it on the judge's animosity towards him

But despite his light sentence, TMZ reported that Smollett told his attorneys before his Thursday court appearance that he would get a harsher sentence than most people convicted of a non-violent offence because he is black, calling it proof of systemic racism in the court system.  

After he was sentenced Smollett told his legal team his prediction was correct and said the 150 day sentence was 'unfortunate' and 'sad' and blamed it on judge Linn's animosity towards him, TMZ.com reported. 

In court on Thursday Smollett protested 'I am innocent! I am not suicidal' as he was led away in handcuffs. He said it was a ploy to ensure if something happened to him in jail, the public would know it was foul play - a reference to Jeffrey Epstein's jail cell hanging that many claim was an 'inside job', TMZ reported.  

Smollett will serve his sentence in the Cook County Jail, a stone's throw from the court and one of the biggest jail complexes in the country under protective custody.  

The Cooks County Sheriff's Office confirmed on Friday that the 39-year-old will be housed in his own cell where he will be under video monitoring at all times, per the request of Smollett and his legal team,  the New York Post reported. 

'Mr. Smollett is being housed in his own cell, which is monitored by security cameras in the cell and by an officer wearing a body-worn camera who is stationed at the entrance of the cell to ensure that Mr. Smollett is under direct observation at all times,' the Cooks County Sheriff said in a statement.  

Inmate number 20220310140 in Chicago's Cook County Jail, Jussie Smollett

Smollett's family posted his quote to Instagram hours after he began serving his sentence

Smollett faced up to three years in prison and his attorneys made one last attempt for a non-custodial sentence, but it wasn't enough to persuade Judge James Linn against imposing jail time.

After patiently listening to Smollett's attorneys blame the jury, the media and the prosecutors for his conviction, Linn imposed a 150-day sentence and blasted Smollett's 'astounding hypocrisy'.

The actor has claimed throughout that he is the victim of a racist and homophobic campaign by the Chicago Police Department and prosecutor's office.

He blamed former Chicago Police Chief Eddie Johnson - who is black - for going after him, and his brother yesterday fumed at assistant special prosecutor Samuel Mendenhall - who is also black - that they didn't need a 'lecture in racism'. 

He and his supporters say he is being unfairly punished because of his celebrity and that anyone else would have spared jail for the crimes he was convicted of.

He still maintains that he was telling the truth when he claimed to have been beaten up by two white Trump supporters in January 2019.

An aerial view of the enormous Cook County Jail complex where more than 6,000 inmates are spread across more than a dozen units, awaiting sentencing or trial dates or serving sentences

Judge James Linn is pictured sentencing Smollett to 150 days in Cook County jail

The worst of the jail: A solitary confinement cell in the Cook County Jail. Jussie is not likely to be placed in one of these cells

A jury unanimously convicted him of lying. They found that the evidence showed he had in fact paid his two black friends, brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo, to rough him up in a staged attack.

Police at the time suggested it was to raise his celebrity profile.

The two brothers testified at trial that Smollett walked them through exactly how to go about the attack. Smollett's defense attorneys claimed they were liars throughout, but couldn't explain why they would have lied to him.

The brothers were never charged because they never lied to police - the first time they were questioned about it, they told cops what had happened, according to Judge Linn.

Smollett has never relented on his defense and instead insists he was victimized by the City of Chicago.

Judge Linn has ordered him to pay $120,000 in restitution which reflects the $130,000 the city is suing him for, minus $10,000 that Smollett has already surrendered as part of a now canceled-out deal with the State's Attorney's Office.

As he was sentenced, Judge Linn blasted Smollett as a 'charlatan'

Judge Linn was damning in his verdict, noting how Smollett on the stand reprimanded someone who, quoting him, used the N-word, and yet himself sabotaged the work of activists for equality.

'The hypocrisy is just astounding. I believe that you did damage to actual hate crime victims. These are people who have a difficult time coming forward. There may be some trepidation.

'I don't know if they are going to be accused of acting like you, pulling a stunt like you. I don't know if first responders are going to be more hesitant. I hope it's not the case.'

'You're just a charlatan, pretending to be a victim of a hate crime.'

Inside the Cook County jail where Jussie Smollett will serve at least two months along with 6,000 inmates: Cramped dorms, riots in the mess hall and limited visits are what disgraced star can expect 

Because of the low-level, non-violent nature of Smollett's crimes, he will not serve his time in a state prison. 

He is being housed instead for the two-and-a-half months in the Cook County Jail, a stone's throw from the court and one of the biggest jail complexes in the country. 

He is currently being held in Division Eight - which is predominantly reserved for inmates with injuries or illness. It remains unclear if he will serve the duration of his sentence there, or if he will be moved after undergoing health checks. 

Inside the prison, there are cramped dorm rooms where hundreds of non-violent offenders sleep side by side in bunk beds. Smollett was convicted of five, non-violent felonies. It is unclear if he will have to sleep in a dorm, or if he'll be put in a cell 

An exterior view of Cook County Jail, where Smollett has begun his 150-day sentence. He will likely be let out after 75 days, if he behaves, and is currently being held in Division 8 - the medical unit. The prison has 6,000 inmates who are either serving sentences of under two years, or are awaiting trial 

An aerial view of the enormous Cook County Jail complex where more than 6,000 inmates are spread across more than a dozen units, awaiting sentencing or trial dates or serving sentences

Smollett will not receive visitors today. Visitation for inmates in Section 2E of Unit 8 - where records show he is now - begins tomorrow, at 2.30pm.  Division 8 is what is known as a Residential Treatment Unit. It is a two-wing facility and made headlines recently for a COVID outbreak which killed three inmates.  

Cook County Jail mostly houses suspects who are awaiting trial or convicts awaiting sentencing so there is a variety of violent and non-violent suspects and convicts in the population.

Those whose their sentences there have been given considerably light ones of two years or less. 

Several sections of the jail have enormous dormitories where hundreds of men sleep in bunk beds lined up, row to row.  There are individualized cell blocks, for more violent or at-risk offenders. 

During a New York Times visit to the jail for a 2017 feature on how it had been upgraded, one inmate repeatedly stabbed two others.   

A cell block in another portion of the jail. The locked cells are reserved for more violent offenders 

These are the cells in Division 8- the medical unit where Smollett is currently being held 

In this Sept. 29, 2011 file photo, inmates at the Cook County Jail in Chicago wait to be processed for release. Jussie will have to spend at least half of his 150 day sentence 

In this Sept. 29, 2011 file photo, inmates at the Cook County Jail in Chicago, line up to be processed for release 

In 2018, a violent brawl erupted in the mess hall where dozens of inmates started viciously fighting at the bottom of the stairs

A plea for help is written on a window of the maximum security unit of the Cook County Jail in Chicago, Illinois, USA, 10 April 2020. In January 2022, more than 800 inmates and staff tested positive for COVID 

The COVID-19 quarantine tier with single cells at Division 11 of the Cook County Jail in Chicago on May 20, 2020

Smollett is currently being held in Division 8, the medical unit. It's unclear if he will be allowed to stay there