Jussie Smollett released from jail on bond as he appeals conviction for hoax racist attack

Smollett spent just six days behind bars after being sentenced last week

Jussie Smollett was released from jail on bond as he appeals his conviction for lying to Chicago police about a fake racist and homophobic attack.

Smollett was given a 150-day prison sentence on 10 March and ordered to pay $140,000 (£106,411) in fines and restitution stemming from his conviction over the hoax in December.

The 39-year-old was found guilty on five counts of felony disorderly conduct for lying to police after an eight-day trial stemming from the staged 2019 hate crime. He was acquitted on a sixth charge.

An investigation uncovered that Smollett, who is Black and gay, paid two men he knew from work on the TV show Empire to stage an apparent racist and homophobic attack.

Now, on Wednesday (16 March), the First District Court of Appeals has ruled that Smollett should be released after just six days as his legal team appeals the sentence of Cook County Judge James Linn.

His lawyers argued that Smollett, who could have only served 75 days with good behaviour, would likely have been released before the appeals process played out.

They also said that they were worried for the actor’s mental health if he was kept in protective custody and concerned he could be attacked by other inmates.

During the trial, Smollett maintained his innocence and, during the sentencing, shouted that he was not suicidal and that if he died in custody, someone else was to blame for his death.

The verdict comes after Smollett was moved out of a psychiatric ward into the prison’s general population.

Actor Jussie Smollett walked out of Cook County Jail after being sentenced to 150 days in prison over staging a hoax hate crime (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Smollett walked out of jail on Wednesday after posting a $150,000 personal recognisance bond, meaning he didn’t have to put down money but agrees to come to court as required.

While the actor didn’t make any comment, his attorneys have claimed he was the target of a racist justice system and people playing politics.

Smollett’s Empire co-star Taraji P Henson previously called for the actor to be freed from prison shortly after he was sentenced.

On 13 March, Henson shared an image to her Instagram feed that read “#FreeJussie”, protesting his sentencing in the caption.

“I am not here to debate you on his innocence but we can agree that the punishment does not fit the crime,” she wrote.