Actor Jussie Smollett was found guilty yesterday on five of six counts of disorderly conduct for filing a false report to Chicago police saying he was the victim of a hate crime at the hands of Donald Trump supporters.
Prosecutors successfully argued that Smollett faked the attack, which took place nearly three years ago in January 2019. Now, the 39-year-old faces up to three years in prison and a $25,000 fine.
But his troubles aren’t over yet.
Related: Jury reaches verdict in Jussie Smollett trial
How about we take this to the next level?
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While many legal experts predict Smollett will receive probation and community service, CNN legal analyst and criminal defense attorney Joey Jackson believes he may have “exposed himself to jail time” when he testified in court.
“When you testify in a case, the judge now gets a sense of what you said,” Jackson told Don Lemon. “What Jussie Smollett said was resoundingly rejected by that jury. The jury did not buy what he was selling. That’s not lost upon a judge. You came into the courtroom and fabricated.”
“There are people legitimately who were the victims of hate crimes, and how do you diminish them by coming up with something that’s a farce? That’s troubling and you have to punish that.”
Related: Antigay activist Josh Duggar can now add “convicted child sex predator” to his esteemed resumé
Jackson added, “When you’re really on trial for telling a lie and then you compound that by actually lying, it makes a judge — who sits in judgment of you when you’re sentenced — really troubled.”
Smollett’s attorney says the actor plans to appeal yesterday’s verdict, which means this thing is likely going to drag on even longer.
Meanwhile, here’s what people are saying on Twitter…
All of this breaks my heart… in this day and age, I do think that we should be quick to believe victims – namely victims of hate crimes. For #JussieSmollett to be found guilty of (basically) lying about a hate crime now sets actual victims back about 60 yrs. ?????
— Afriyie “Free” Amankwaa (@Afriyie_) December 9, 2021
PERSPECTIVE:
Jussie Smollett broke the law. He ought to be punished.
Trump and his acolytes and flunkies broke the law. They should be punished.
So why the hell is Jussie subject to more accountability than traitors and seditionists? How does punishing him save America?
— Larry Middleton – Unapologetically Black (@l78lancer) December 10, 2021
NO problem w/ Jussie Smollett guilty verdicts. Faking hate crimes makes it less likely real victims are believed.
But right wing media for some reason far more concerned w/ Smollett than Josh Duggar being convicted of possessing awful child pornography.
Wonder why?— Janice Hough (@leftcoastbabe) December 9, 2021
What Jussie Smollett did was horrible, but I can’t get over the fact that in America you get more jail time faking a crime than murdering two people.
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) December 10, 2021
Jussie Smollett is a marginally talented B-List celebrity who may or may not be delusional. What is more disturbing than faking a hate crime are the people in positions of power who covered for him, enabled him, and initially helped him avoid accountability.
— Eric Matheny ? (@EricMMatheny) December 10, 2021
I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I feel bad for #JussieSmollett. I know what he did was wrong, but the way this whole thing has been dragged out has been so dramatic. I feel like if he were white, it would’ve been forgiven and forgotten long ago.
— Lee (@FloridaDem108) December 10, 2021
The Jussie Smollett phony race crime hoax was child's play in comparison to the phony January 6th insurrection hoax
— Vince Langman (@LangmanVince) December 10, 2021
I don't care what the verdict is, I'm glad Josh Duggar was found guilty. #JussieSmollett
— Tyrone Dudley, BCaBA (@TheOnlyTyronly) December 9, 2021
Yes, #JussieSmollett is just another troubled former stage kid and self-serving attention simp. It's easy just to laugh these guys off. But people who intentionally fake crimes for attention have real impact on real victims of real crimes. You have to dissuade that, heartily.
— Lex Jurgen (@Lex_Jurgen) December 10, 2021
Just so I’m clear #JussieSmollett paid some dudes to beat him up & texted them regarding paying them 3500? GUILTY
Meanwhile, #MattGaetz venmo’d money to a known, CONVICTED child sex trafficker for payment to have sex with teenage girls!
Matt’s in Congress, spinning propaganda
— Papi B Dubs (Live Music & Event Producer) (@Papi_B_Dubs) December 9, 2021
While the #jussiesmollett trial has concluded, please remember that people who allege false hate crimes are yet another reason why actual survivors of bias motivated attacks are disinclined to report.
Take time today to center real hate crime survivors.
— Taylor Dumpson (@TaylorDumpsonJD) December 10, 2021
At the very least #JussieSmollett will sleep soundly tonight knowing his attacker has been brought to justice.
— Zac (@Average_Handle) December 10, 2021
Graham Gremore is the Features Editor and a Staff Writer at Queerty. Follow him on Twitter @grahamgremore.
Chrisk
Ha. The last one was the best. Maybe he can team up with OJ to catch the attackers. Oh that’s right that will never happen unless they look in the mirror.
Openminded
Yup. That’s real comedy.
SiamSean
Sitting here imagining what Cary Grant would have looked like in prison garb, bent over a sink…
Kangol2
If he doesn’t get probation or win on appeal, they are going to go after him faster than a free piece of Junior’s cheesecake in prison!
kareem
Colton Underwood getting a special on Netflix after stalking and harassing a young woman , Kyle Rittenhouse found innocent after killing 2 people.But lets put the black man in jail. #TeamJussie
brian6767
“Kyle Rittenhouse found innocent after killing 2 people….” In self defense, dumbass
And Smollet deserves to be put in jail! How many gay people are victims of ACTUAL hate crimes! He didn’t do our community any favors!
ShiningSex
First off fool, he’s not going to prison. It’s his first offense. Don’t use race here. We’re not here for defending a known and obvious guilty person. Facts are facts. Being black isn’t an automatic guilty and should never be. That being said, this idiot planned it. You know it, we all know it. He even apologized before. Get over that crap.
frapachino
Why do radicals lie all the time?
BigJohnSF
The woman Underwood stalked withdrew the accusation, the charges were dropped, and if you watch the show you can’t help but have compassion for Underwood. Smollet has continued his big lie, falsely accused the guys he was paying, and cost the court system a lot of money. I think Underwood has a better future on TV than Smollet.
Cam
@frapachino
You mean the way Republicans keep trying to claim California is in economic bad shape when it runs 40 billion dollar surpluses and Red states are going bankrupt?
Bosch
@brian a kid with an automatic weapon killing someone with a skateboard in “self defense”? Because of all those skateboard murders in America?
Openminded
Kareem, to some the prosecution of Smollett is nothing more than a waste of taxpayer money and judicial time. To put it simply, EVERYONE who is accused of a crime gets their day in court and Smollett’s day finally got here. It’s irrelevant that their are possible “larger” crimes that are not being punished at this time. Their day will also come, IF there is enough evidence for a trial. Using your logic, we would let every drunk driver awaiting trial, along with other “minor” offenses, because we all know there are many other “major” criminals to be brought to justice. The legal system works slow, but generally it works, at it’s own pace. I’d also suggest you get a new Race card, you have about worn your current one out.
Max
guess his acting wasn’t that great in court.
bumblebum
Came we all just “move” along on from jussie, bussy
Jeffrey51
What a morron…
jackscott
He should get some jail time! What he did was completely unacceptable. I’ll never watch any show with him in the production.
ShiningSex
He does deserve jail time because any other non celebrity would get something. He’s not getting any jail time. It’s his first offense. He’s become a joke.
Beachman
It’s not his first offense….he’ll likely be getting a small amount of jail time.
Inspector 57
Besides Jussie Smollett, there are at least a couple other big-time losers here:
— Kim Foxx, the initial Chicago prosecutor who decided not to prosecute what was even then obviously a crime on Smollett’s part. (According to some, Michelle Obama pressured Foxx to take no action against Smollett.)
— The BLM organization, who today issued a statement completely exonerating Smollett (because he’s Black) and stating that this trial and verdict were, instead, an indictment of The Man’s (white) crooked justice system.
BigJohnSF
That Michelle Obama conspiracy theory was floated on Fox News – guess you’re a loyal watcher.
Inspector 57
Actually, BigJohnSF, I read it on a mainstream website. (They acknowledged that there were those allegations; they didn’t evaluate their credence.) I never watch Fox.
I did get something wrong in my initial post, however: the BLM screed that I referenced was actually issued on Tuesday, before the verdict came down. Post-verdict, they have indicated that they still support Smollett.
Cam
Funny how you can’t name any of the actual links or groups that did this.
But nice try.
Inspector 57
I hope your heart grows three sizes this Christmas, Cam.
ffmikey
The moron lied, lied about the attack to the police and lied in court to save face. Comparing him being found guilty to other recent court cases is nothing but stupidity. Its not because he is black that he was found guilty, its because he invented the entire story of a attack in order to increase his public image. Now that image is in the dumpster and he may never recover. BLM just revealed what a sham organization they are. BLM just revealed they are not interested in blacks being treated fairly but instead blacks should receive special treatment because they are black.
Will Jessie go to jail? Depends on the judge now. He did commit perjury in addition to the crimes he was accused of. A big fine and community service are probably the outcome. I never heard of him before, we may never hear about him again except on a slow day in the tabloids.
Scout
He definitely belongs in prison for a good stretch. To give him mere probation sends the message that faking a hate crime involving race, sexual orientation, and bigotry is not that big a deal. Not only did he lie on the stand but he put everyone else’s credibility who was an actual victim of a hate crime at risk. Comparing his case to Rittenhouse’s is apples and oranges.
Openminded
I never doubted his guilt once he started changing his stories. Not because he was black but because he couldn’t tell the same story twice and the 2- brothers had credible stories with evidence to back them up. Likewise, If I were BLM or any other group predominantly supporting black people, I would not assume his innocense only on the basis that he is black. IMO, this will only hurt their credibility.
As for him going to jail. It appears all the experts are predicting no jail time so I doubt he, nor many other people who have filed false police reports goes to jail. If not for his alleged celebrity status and the media coverage, this would have been a non-story. The real story surrounding this incident that needs to be looked into is why charges were dropped and then recharged. Politics and/or money at play that made this a bigger publicity story that needs to be exposed.
Essie
I don’t know what his lawyers plan to base an appeal on. He actually committed perjury on the stand so he’s lucky (so far) he has not been charged with that. He should tell his team to just chill and hope he’s not jailed for a couple of years. It’s up to the judge but I think he will probably get probation and community service and a fine.
What he did was awful and hurtful to the LGBTQ community but, still, sending him to prison would serve no purpose. He has killed his career so what else is there? I mean, he’s 39; a little late to begin his acting/singing career again, especially when, from what I remember, all of Black entertainment was against him when this happened. Having BLM on your side is not an advantage. They should concentrate on finding out where all the money has gone that was donated to them.
Cam
He goes to prison so other people don’t do the same thing. By your logic it seems like you’re saying that it’s better to send somebody poor to prison because they don’t have a career to lose, but with this guy, he’s already suffered enough??
CHOCOLATEBEARCUB
Jussie will get probation and a hefty fine. His career has taken a HIT and life will go on!
redzebra1
At worst in a few months or so will try to make money out of it somehow. A book, etc. I hope not. Just want him to GO AWAY
Terrycloth
3 years ago he had 25,000 in bank now, his net worth is 1.2 million. Who gave him all his money ? If he dosent do prison time ,fine him 1.2 million and probation
Chrisk
I believe he’s was earning 75,000 per episode. Not that difficult to attain in say a year.
ryeguypdx
These hot takes on Twitter — comparing Rittenhouse, with all its complexities and details, to Smollet, and whatever that mess was, then holding the two examples up like they’re somehow related and demonstrate how broken America is — are all so dumb that we become more dumb just by running our eyes over them. Yes, the black man got found guilty and the white man got acquitted, but if that’s all you see when you look at these stories, then you should swap out your lens. You’re missing everything.
tallskin4
As an outsider to all this, being a gay man who doesn’t consider himself part of the LGBTQ++ crowd, I have to say Mr Smollet has told more lies than a trans activists on steroids
Is there something within the LGBTQ++ bottled water that makes them chase Mr Truth away?
Ronbo
Don’t think for a minute that all the extremists are “trans activists on steroids”. At least two are paid members of a certain conservative group within the DNC who “saved” us from electing progressive gay, Alex Morse. “Correct the Record” is an active part of our community.
Openminded
@tallskin, Sounds like you can’t get a date with any Trans person can you. That’s still no legit reason to hate them.