Jussie Smollett is to be released from jailon bond after just six days, a court has ordered during appeal on his conviction.
The former Empire actor had been jailed for 150 days after being found guilty of staging a homophobic and racist attack against himself.
Jussie, 39, was sentenced to serve 150 days in the Cook County Jail.
He will be released on a $150,000 (£114,183) personal recognisance bond and can now leave the Chicago prison while his lawyers work on his appeal.
The actor was sentenced on March 10 after being found guilty of five of the six felony counts of disorderly conduct against him for lying to the police about being the victim of a racist and homophobic attack.
The First District Court of Appeals has now ruled that the actor should be released after just a few days.
(Image: via REUTERS)
On Tuesday, the actor was moved out of the psych ward where he had been forced to sleep on a “restraint bed” and into general population in the detention centre.
After receiving his sentence last Thursday, Jussie protested his innocence and told the judge that if he died in jail it would be the court’s fault.
He told the court: “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.”
(Image: via REUTERS)
Ever since his sentence, his lawyers and family had been pressing for his release as they claimed he was in physical danger while he was in prison.
The lawyers had argued in an emergency order that he was “immunocompromised” and submitted a letter from a doctor saying the risk of Covid-19 should be factored in his release.
They also argued to the panel of judges that his sentence would be fully served by the time the appeals process was completed.
In 2019, Jussie made allegations that two “massive” men, the Osundairo brothers, shouted homophobic and racist abuse at him.
(Image: REUTERS)
He also claimed that the brothers poured an “unknown chemical substance” over him and tied a noose around his neck before they fled in the alleged attack.
Jussie had been found guilty on five counts of felony disorderly conduct for lying to police after an eight-day trial.
He was acquitted on a sixth charge.
Throughout the process Jussie maintained his innocence.
Jussie is best known for his role as Jamal Lyon on Empire.
For more of the latest showbiz news from the Daily Star, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
