Jussie Smollett Net Worth, Age, Partner and Jail Sentence
Who is Jussie Smollett?
Jussie Smollet is an American actor and singer. He is best known for starring as musician Jamal Lyon in the Fox drama series Empire in 2015, a character that was praised as revolutionary for its favorable portrayal of a black gay man on television.
Jussie Smollett Age
Smollet is 39 years old. He was born on June 21, 1982 in Santa Rosa, California, United States.
Jussie Smollett Partner
Smollett is openly gay. He confirmed it in March 2015 during an interview with Ellen DeGeneres. He did, however, state that he believes that openness to love is more essential than gender, adding that “If I fall in love down the road with a woman, I’m going to love that woman.”
After his homosexual character on Empire had a tryst with a female character, Smollett justified the plot development by claiming that he and Empire co-creator Lee Daniels were attempting to start a dialogue about sexual fluidity in the LGBT community.
Jussie Smollett Net Worth
Smollett has an estimated net worth of $17 million from his career as an actor.
Jussie Smollett Jail Sentence
The superintendent of police in Chicago stated on Thursday 10th March 2022 that Smollett’s fake allegation of a hate crime hurt “real victims” of such crimes. During his sentencing hearing at the Cook County Courthouse, witnesses for both the state and Smollett testified. The state summoned Chicago Police Supt. David Brown, who provided a statement, which was read out loud by Samuel Mendenhall, a representative of the special prosecution team.
Brown said in the statement that the financial expense of investigating Smollett’s allegation was considerable. However, he mentioned that the impact on actual victims of hate crimes cannot be estimated. Brown also requested that the city be refunded for its expenses, claiming that the money spent examining his allegation might have been spent elsewhere in the city.
Joel Smollett Jr., Smollett’s brother, testified for the defense, telling the court that Smollett is “not a threat to the citizens of Illinois.” He is, in my honest view, absolutely innocent.” Joel similarly mocked at the concept that his brother’s sentence would restore public faith in the criminal justice system. He said that the matter comes down to “he said, he said.”
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Smollett will soon understand whether a court will sentence him to prison for lying to police about a racial and homophobic attack he staged or let him go free. Cook County Judge James Linn denied the defense’s attempt to reverse the jury’s decision on legal grounds before the sentence began. Such motions are rarely granted by judges. Smollett, who is likely to continue to deny his involvement in January 2019 staged assault, faces up to three years in jail for each of the five felony charges of disorderly conduct and the charge of lying to police, all of which he was convicted. He was acquitted on a sixth count.
However, since Smollett has no previous criminal history and the conviction is for a low-level nonviolent act, analysts do not expect him to be imprisoned. Moreover, he may be sentenced to up to a year in county jail if Linn chooses, or he might be placed on probation and forced to complete community service.
The sheer extent of the police investigation was a big element of the trial and is crucial in a $130,000 pending lawsuit brought by the city against him to collect the cost of police overtime, so the court might possibly order the actor to pay a substantial fine and restitution.
The sentence on Thursday might be the final chapter in a criminal case that made international news after Smollett told the police that two men wearing ski masks assaulted him and screamed racist and homophobic slurs at him on a dark Chicago street before fleeing.
Smollett was convicted in December after a trial that featured the evidence of two brothers who testified that Smollett hired them to carry out the assault. He also gave them money for the ski masks and rope and ordered them to shape the rope into a noose. Prosecutors said that he informed them what racial and homophobic obscenities to yell. During the incident, he was in “MAGA Country,” a reference to Donald Trump’s campaign slogan.
Smollett, who knew the guys from his work on the Chicago-based television show “Empire,” testified that he did not identify them. He also claimed that he had no idea that they were the individuals who attacked him. During the hearing, prosecutors and Smollett’s attorneys will present witnesses and Smollett will be able to make a statement. He might repeat parts of what he told jurors during the trial about how he was just a victim of a brutal crime.
As he informed jurors, he might potentially tell the court about his extended history of volunteering and contributing to charity organizations. And he may argue that the fact that the lawsuit has ruined his career, will be enough punishment to keep him out of jail. Unlike the trial, Linn has accepted to let photographers and a television camera into the courtroom for the hearing. This means that the public will be able to see and hear Smollett speak in court for the first time.
