Prior to walking into Cook County Judge James Linn’s courtroom, the 39-year-old actor — known for his portrayal of musical artist Jamal Lyon onEmpire— was looking at several possible sentences in connection with the Jan. 29, 2019, incident.
At Linn’s discretion, Smollett received 30 months of felony probation, with the first 150 days spent in jail, for his crimes, PEOPLE confirms.
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In addition to his sentence, Smollett will pay $120,106 in restitution and receive the maximum fine of $25,000, Linn ordered.
Before receiving his sentence, Smollett declined to address the court, but his defense team brought longtime friends of the actor to the stand to vouch for his character.
When the sentence was announced, Smollett stood, removed his mask and angrily maintained his innocence before telling the court, “I am not suicidal, and if anything happens to me when I go [to jail], I didn’t do it to myself and you must all remember that.”
Smollett’s defense team revealed plans to appeal the sentence.
Jussie Smollett at his sentencing.Brian Cassella/Pool/Chicago Tribune
Smollett, an openly gay Black actor, was originallyindicted in March 2019 with 16 counts of disorderly conductforallegedly filing a false report, claiming that, while on his way home from a Subway sandwich shop,two men attacked himlate at night.
Those charges were unexpectedly dropped later that same month.
During the faux attack, Smollett claimed the black-clad, masked men spewed racist and homophobic slurs at him.
He further claimed the men had puta rope around his neckand doused him with bleach.
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Smollett, prosecutors said, paid $3,500 totwo brothers, Abimbola “Bola” and Olabinjo “Ola” Osundairo, to help him pull off the staged assault.
source: people.com
