Last week, we reported that disgraced former “Empire” star Jussie Smollett had been sentenced to 150 days in prison for allegedly lying to police after he was accused of staging a hate crime against himself. Now, Smollett’s brother has revealed that he’s been placed in the jail psych ward in the wake of his sentencing.
Backstory: Jussie Smollett Unravels In Bizarre Rant After Being Sentenced To Jail Time (VIDEO)
“So Jussie is currently in a psych ward at the Cook County Jail. What’s very concerning is that there was a note attached to his paperwork today and put in front of his jail cell saying that he’s at risk of self-harm,” Jocqui Smollett said in a video posted to his Instagram Story on Sunday, according to Daily Mail.
Jocqui went on to urge supporters to spread the hashtag #FreeJussie online, and to directly tag the Cook County Jail in their posts.
“I want to make it clear to folks that he is in no way, shape or form at risk of self-harm,” Jocqui continued.
“He wants to let folks know that he is very stable, he is very strong, he is very healthy and ready to take on the challenge that ultimately has been put up against him,” Jocqui said of his brother. “This is not right. This is completely lack of justice. It’s angering. It’s an outrage, but he ultimately knows what he needs to do.”
Smollett lost it immediately after his sentencing, telling the judge, “I am not suicidal, and if anything happens to me when I go there, I did not do it to myself.”
Smollett’s attorney Nenye Uche said that the actor had made these comments for a “specific reason.”
“I don’t want people to think, well, is he going crazy? Why is he yelling ‘I’m not suicidal’? He was doing it for a specific reason because, let’s be honest, we have the Epstein situation, where he was found dead in his jail even in protective custody,” Uche said, according to The New York Post. “What Mr. Smollett was concerned about was, what if he turns up dead in protective custody? He doesn’t want people to think he killed himself.”
Related: Black Lives Matter Throws Support Behind Jussie Smollett – ‘We Can Never Believe The Police’
The Cook County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that Smollett isn’t in solitary confinement and that he has the opportunity to get “substantial time out of his cell,” although they would not confirm or deny if he’s in the psych ward at this time.
“The use of solitary confinement was abolished at the Cook County Jail in 2016, and any claims that he is being held in this manner is false,” the Cook County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “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.”
“As with all detained persons, Mr. Smollett is entitled to have substantial time out of his cell in the common areas on the tier where he is housed, where he is able to use the telephone, watch television, and interact with staff. During such times out of cell, other detainees will not be present in the common areas,” the statement continued.
“These protocols are routinely used for individuals ordered into protective custody who may potentially be at risk of harm due to the nature of their charges, their profession, or their noteworthy status,” the sheriff’s office concluded. “The safety and security of all detained individuals, including Mr. Smollett, is the Sheriff’s Office’s highest priority.”
In January of 2019, Smollett claimed that he was jumped in Chicago by two men who hurled racist and homophobic slurs at him while also shouting “this is MAGA country.”
However, after investigating his claims, police concluded that Smollett allegedly paid two men to attack him in this way in the hopes of raising his profile enough to secure himself a higher salary on “Empire.”
Many feel that Smollett tried to play off the racial and political divisions currently plaguing our nation for his own political gain.
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