Jussie Smollett has been moved to a new jail cell,聽the Cook County Sheriff鈥檚 Office and his family said Tuesday.
The former “Empire” actor,聽39, was sentenced to 150 days in jail on March 10聽for lying to police about being a victim of an attack he was accused to have orchestrated himself.
Smollett’s聽brother,聽Jocqui, said the former TV star had been housed in the prison’s psych ward and that officials had noted that he “was at risk of harming himself” which he said was “very concerning” because his brother was “in no way, shape or form at risk of self-harm.”
At the hearing, Smollett repeatedly declared he is “not suicidal.”
Jocqui took to social media on Monday where he explained that his brother had now been moved to a new jail cell,聽out of the psych ward with a restrained bed into a normal one, and thanked fans for their support.
“So I just got to see him,” Jocqui said. “Before he was sleeping on a restrained bed and now he鈥檚 been moved to a jail cell that actually has a bed. Thank you so much. That鈥檚 really because of all the #FreeJussie that鈥檚 been going on. It鈥檚 all the pressure we鈥檙e applying on Cook County and Cook County Jail.”
Jocqui also claimed that聽Cook County “doesn鈥檛 really move until they get bad publicity” and encouraged fans to “keep applying pressure,” and to call聽Cook County Jail to check in on the actor while “saying that you believe he should be free.”
A representative for聽the Cook County Sheriff鈥檚 Office also confirmed in a statement to The Epoch Times聽that聽Smollett has been moved to a new jail cell, noting that this was done because his cell was needed by another person who had been detained.
“Mr. Smollett鈥檚 housing unit was changed Monday to a different cell within Division 8. He was moved from that cell because Cermak Health Services needed his cell for another detained person,” the聽representative said.
The聽Sheriff鈥檚 Office said the decision was made by the medical professionals, noting that聽Smollett “was never restrained to a bed or anything else in the cell” and this his bed “was never equipped with restraints.”
“Mr. Smollett remains housed in his own cell with officers stationed at the open door to his cell to ensure that he 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,” they added.
The Epoch Times has contacted聽Cook County Sheriff鈥檚 Office and a Smollett spokesperson for comment.
Cook County Judge James Linn earlier this month sentenced聽Smollett to聽30 months of felony probation, including 150 days in the county jail,聽for lying to police about being the victim of an attack by two masked men that he said took place in January 2019.
A jury in December 2021 found Smollett guilty of five of the six felony disorderly conduct counts he faced, one for each time he was accused of lying to police.
Smollett was also ordered to pay restitution of $120,106 to the city of Chicago, and a $25,000 fine. The judge denied a request to suspend the sentence, and ordered that Smollett be immediately placed in custody.
Smollett and his family have maintained that he is innocent.
At the hearing, Smollett said, “I would just like to say, your honor, that I am not suicidal. That鈥檚 what I would like to say. I鈥檓 not suicidal. I鈥檓 not suicidal.聽I am innocent and I am not suicidal.”
He also turned to the court, and said, “I am not suicidal. And if anything happens to me when I go in there, I did not do it to myself. And you must all know that.”
Meanwhile,聽Smollett’s lawyers are聽demanding an emergency suspension of the actor鈥檚 five-month jail sentence, citing “vicious threats” they have received which they say raises concerns about his safety in prison.
A spokesperson for the actor told Rolling Stone that one of his siblings received a threatening call on Friday morning from an unknown male.
“I hope what they do to that guy in jail鈥攈ere鈥檚 what they鈥檙e going to do, right. They鈥檙e going to take a broom handle, and take that little [expletive], shove it in there, and he鈥檚 gonna go, 鈥榌shrieking sound],” the message allegedly said, according to聽Rolling Stone.
The actor’s lawyers added claim he had become the target of “vicious threats” online which they believe “no doubt reflects the hatred and wish for physical harm toward Smollett which he may experience during incarceration.”
Lawyers further claim Smollett has a “compromised immune system,” which could be a “serious health risk” if he were to be exposed to聽COVID-19 while in custody.
Mimi Nguyen Ly contributed to this report.
Original link : Jussie Smollett Moved From Psych Ward to New Jail Cell, Brother and Sheriff鈥檚 Office Confirm