Jussie Smollett Not Provided A Real Bed In Chicago Jail, Team Calls Conditions ‘Unacceptable’
Mar. 14 2022, Published 10:39 a.m. ET
Jussie Smollett has been sleeping without a real bed and his team claims the conditions inside the Chicago jail are “unacceptable.”
Last week, the 39-year-old Empire actor was sentenced to 150 days in jail for allegedly lying to police about a fake hate crime. He denies planning his attack and shouted he was innocent as he was being taken into custody.
On Sunday, Black Lives Matter Co-Founder Patrisse Cullors released a video detailing her encounter with Smollett during his first couple of days at Cook County Jail.
Cullors visit Smollett over the weekend and described him as being “strong.” She said it was “unacceptable” what is happening inside.
In the video, Cullors revealed Smollett hasn’t been sleeping on a bed since he arrived on Friday. The jail staff has him using a restraint bed — which is basically just a solid block without any cushion.
Cullors revealed Smollett’s team has filed for his release with the appellate court. They should find out no later than Wednesday if the higher court will be taking up the matter.
The BLM co-founder asked for Smollett’s supporters to keep tagging #FreeJussie and to keep calling the jail to demand his release.
Cullors isn't the only one speaking out for Smollett. Over the weekend, his Empire costar Taraji P. Henson spoke out against Smollett's sentence claiming it was unfair.
"I am not here to debate you on his innocence but we can agree that the punishment does not fit the crime," Henson wrote. "Emmett Till was brutally beat and ultimately murdered because of a lie and none of the people involved with his demise spent one day in jail, even after Carolyn Bryant admitted that her claims were false. No one was hurt or killed during Jussie’s ordeal."
Samuel L. Jackson also wrote a letter to the court pleading for a soft sentence for Smollett. His wife explained they had known Smollett since he was a kid living down the street from them in New York. "We watched him grow from a kid who was always kind, full of joy and laughter, into a responsible teenager who on becoming aware of the inequities suffered by some of the people, became an energetic volunteer helping anyone who was working to alleviate these inequities," their letter read.
Smollett is currently locked up in the psych ward due in part to the statements he shouted while being taken into custody by officers. Over the weekend, the actor's brother revealed the news in a video stating, "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 saying that he's at risk of self-harm."
The family is adamant Smollett has no intention to hurt himself.