CHICAGO – An appeals court ordered the release of Jussie Smollett from the Cook County Jail on Wednesday as the appeal of his conviction remains pending, Fox News reported.
Smollett was recently sentenced to 150 days in jail, 30 months felony probation, $130,160 in restitution to the city of Chicago, and a $25,000 fine after he was convicted of lying to Chicago police about being the victim of a hate crime back in 2019. The “Empire” actor was convicted on five felony counts of disorderly conduct for lying to police.
In a 2-1 decision on Wednesday, the appeals court said Smollett could be released after posting a personal recognizance bond of $150,000, which means he isn’t required to put down money, but agrees to come to court as required.
Jussie Smollett (Cook County Sheriff’s Office)
Smollett’s attorneys successfully argued that he would have completed the jail sentence by the time the appeal process was completed, thus persuading the court to order his release.
