Disgraced former actor and hate crime hoaxer, Jussie Smollett is returning to court in Chicago this week to find out his sentence after being found guilty in December for faking his own hate crime.
Now it's time to pay the piper.
From the Chicago Tribune:
For the first time since his media-firestorm trial and conviction last year, Jussie Smollett is expected to return to Cook County court Thursday to learn his sentence for orchestrating a fake hate-crime attack that shocked the nation.
His supporters have sent a flood of letters to Judge James Linn applauding Smollett's character and seeking leniency. City officials have written they hope Smollett is required to pay more than $130,000 in overtime costs police incurred while investigating the case.
Smollett was found guilty in December on five of six counts of disorderly conduct alleging he falsely reported to police that he was a victim of a hate crime in 2019.
Let me just say, if Smollett gets off with just having to pay $130,000 that's a slap on the wrist.
Prominent conservative commentator and sweet daddy Matt Walsh has argued that Jussie Smollett has committed a hate crime by trying to blame white people for a fake hate crime, so the punishment should be equal to what the real crime would have carried:
That's not going to happen, but here's what's likely to happen.
More from the Tribune:
Ultimately, the sentencing decision is up to Linn, who will have a range of options. Smollett was convicted of Class 4 felonies, the state's lowest-level felony category. The charges carry penalties of one to three years in prison, but also probation or conditional discharge, which is similar to probation but with less strict conditions. Linn also could require Smollett to pay a fine or restitution.
It is likely that if Smollett is sentenced on all five counts, the sentences will run concurrent with each other, but Linn would have the option to impose consecutive sentences if he determines it is necessary to protect the public from further criminal conduct by Smollett.
Courthouse observers have noted it seems unlikely that Smollett will be sentenced to prison time, given his relative lack of criminal history and nonviolent charges. But the case has been unpredictable from the start.
Yeah, he probably won't be sentenced too heavily.
But at least it looks like Smollett will be given some measure of justice.
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