Jussie Smollett will be monitored twenty-four hours a day while serving his time in Cook County jail, according to the New York Post. He will be monitored at all times by a closed circuit camera and a guard outfitted with a body camera.
This comes after Smollett’s angry rant in court. Upon receiving his sentence he began yelling about how he is not suicidal. He went on to say that nothing better happen to him while in jail. While being escorted from the court room he raised his fist in the air, apparently in some kind of black power salute. It looked like an awful lot like a small child throwing a tantrum, and the body language of others in the court room suggested embarrassment.
In a theatrical turn, Smollett appeared before the judge wearing a mask. Prior to sentencing his legal team had argued that sentencing Smollett to jail would be “almost like a death sentence” due to the risk of being infected with COVID-19. It had the appearance of a pathetic Hail Mary pass given that pandemic-related restrictions are being lifted at a rapid pace around the world.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot applauded the sentence. “The criminal conviction of Jussie Smollett by a jury of his peers and today’s sentencing should send a clear message to everyone in the City of Chicago that false claims and allegations will not be tolerated,” Lightfoot said. Lori Lightfoot is about as progressive as they come. So her shaming comments toward Smollett are a significant commentary.
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, on the other hand, told the Chicago Tribune that the 150-day jail sentence handed down by a judge could be questioned as “revenge” against the actor rather than justice. But that is to be expected given that she tried to make this very serious matter disappear to begin with.
Some on the Internet, such as content creator A Black Conservative Perspective, have suggested that Smollett got off easy. The damage to society that comes from faking a high profile hate crime is certainly large. But a narcissist like Smollett is going to have a hard time spending 150 days in jail. And now, because of yet another childish action, he has made jail even more uncomfortable with constant monitoring.
It is a fitting end to a matter that has reeked of absurdity every step of the way.
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Related Web Site:
https://nypost.com/2022/03/11/jussie-smollet-to-serve-sentence-in-protective-custody/