OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Actor and convicted hate crime hoaxer Jussie Smollett is incarcerated in the psychiatric ward, his brother has claimed.
“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,” his brother Jocqui Smollett said, The Daily Mail reported.
He asked supporters to create posts with the hashtag #FreeJussie.
“I want to make it clear to folks that he is in no way, shape, or form at risk of self-harm,” he said.
The Cook County Sheriff’s Office said that the actor is not being held in solitary confinement but did not deny that he was in a psychiatric ward.
“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 office said.
“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,” it said.
“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 safety and security of all detained individuals, including Mr. Smollett, is the Sheriff’s Office’s highest priority,” it said.
This comes after the former “Empire” star was sentenced to 150 days behind bars, a $25,000 fine, 30 months of probation and ordered to pay restitution to the city of Chicago.
After he was sentenced, the convicted hate crime hoaxer repeatedly proclaimed that he was not suicidal, which caused concern for some and has led to the need for him to now undergo a mental evaluation.
Smollett shouted after the verdict “I am not suicidal,” as he continued to proclaim his innocence. “I DID NOT DO THIS. I’m not suicidal. If anything happens to me when I go in there, you must all know that. Jail time, I am not suicidal,” he said.
Jussie Smollett receives his sentence, and then insists he is innocent and not suicidal. pic.twitter.com/bEuyL3KBqy
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) March 11, 2022
BREAKING: #JussieSmollett sentenced to 30 MONTHS FELONY PROBATION with 150 DAYS in the Cook County Jail starting TODAY. @LawCrimeNetwork pic.twitter.com/8sakC22I7F
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) March 11, 2022
Jussie Smollett sentenced to 150 days in jail starting immediately. Also gets probation and has to pay $100,000 in restitution.
Smollett yells after sentence and says "he is innocent."
— WWL-TV (@WWLTV) March 11, 2022
Walking out of the court he continued shouting “I’m not suicidal and I’m innocent. I could have said I was guilty a long time ago.”
CNN reported:
Smollett, who is Black and gay, told Chicago police that on a frigid night in January 2019 two unknown men attacked him, yelled racist and homophobic slurs at him, poured bleach on him, and wrapped a noose around his neck.
Chicago police investigated the case as a possible hate crime but soon determined the actor orchestrated the incident. They said he paid two brothers he knew from the Fox drama “Empire” to stage the incident for publicity.
The brothers, Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo, were among seven witnesses for the prosecution at the trial. They testified that Smollett directed them and paid them to stage the attack in an attempt to garner sympathetic media coverage.
They said that they fake punched him, poured bleach on him, put a noose around his neck, and used racist and homophobic slurs – because he told them to.
Smollett testified in his own defense and said he paid the brothers only for training advice and nutritional tips. He cast doubt on their true motivations and said he had a sexual relationship with one of the brothers, which the brother denied.
“Per jail protocol, Mr. Smollett will be tested for COVID-19 upon intake and will be offered vaccination if he has not previously been vaccinated for the virus, or the booster shot if he has already been vaccinated,” the Cook County Sheriff’s office said. “Currently, out of the more than 6,000 individuals ordered into custody at the jail, just 12 are positive for COVID-19 – all of whom were identified as positive during the intake process.”
The sheriff’s office said that Smollett “will be given a comprehensive medical, mental health, and security assessment and will be placed in appropriate housing.”
